Willie Knighten Jr.

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Charge:	Murder
Sentence:	15 years to life imprisonment
Years Imprisoned:	12.92
Year Crime:	1996
Year Convicted:	1997
Year Cleared:	2009
U.S. State or Country of Crime:	Ohio
County or Region of Crime:	Lucas
City of Crime:	Toledo
Result:	Pardoned
Summary of Case:	"Willie Knighten Jr. was wrongly convicted in 1997 of a drive by shooting in Toledo, Ohio on the evening of June 24, 1996. Knighten was arrested for the crime in December 1996. He elected to be tried by a judge only, and although there was significant evidence of his innocence Judge William J. Skow found him guilty. The judge sentenced him to 15 years to life in prison. In 2009 Judge Skow, who had been elevated to the Ohio Court of Appeals, was diagnosed with a terminal illness. He wrote a letter to the Ohio Parole Board stating his opinion he erred in finding Knighten guilty, and that he believed he was in innocent of the crime. With the help of the Ohio Innocence Project Knighten petitioned Ohio Governor Ted Strickland for a pardon based on his innocence, which was granted and he was released on November 24, 2009 after 12 years and 11 months in custody. "
Conviction Caused By:
Innocence Proved By:	"Knighten petitioned Ohio Governor Ted Strickland for a pardon based on his innocence, which was granted and he was released on November 24, 2009 after 12 years and 11 months in custody."
Defendant Aided By:	Ohio Innocence Project
Compensation Awarded:
Was Perpetrator Identified?
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Age When Released:
Sex:	Male
Skin/Ethnicity:
Information Source 1:	"Willie Knighten Jr. - Released November 2009, Ohio Innocence Project website"
Information Location 1:	http://www.law.uc.edu/institutes-centers/ohio-innocence-project/significant-cases/willie-knighten-jr
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Willie Knighten Jr.

Charge:

Murder

Sentence:

15 years to life imprisonment

Years Imprisoned:

12.92

Year Crime:

1996

Year Convicted:

1997

Year Cleared:

2009

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

Ohio

County or Region of Crime:

Lucas

City of Crime:

Toledo

Result:

Pardoned

Summary of Case:

Conviction Caused By:

Innocence Proved By:

"Knighten petitioned Ohio Governor Ted Strickland for a pardon based on his innocence, which was granted and he was released on November 24, 2009 after 12 years and 11 months in custody."

Defendant Aided By:

Ohio Innocence Project

Compensation Awarded:

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Age When Imprisoned:

Age When Released:

Sex:

Male

Skin/Ethnicity:

Information Source 1:

"Willie Knighten Jr. - Released November 2009, Ohio Innocence Project website"

Information Location 1:

http://www.law.uc.edu/institutes-centers/ohio-innocence-project/significant-cases/willie-knighten-jr

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