|
Wrongly Convicted Database Record
|
Charge: |
Rape and Firearm charge |
Sentence: |
72 yrs |
Years Imprisoned: |
8.5 |
Year Crime: |
1988 |
Year Convicted: |
1990 |
Year Cleared: |
1997 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Virginia |
County or Region of Crime: |
Newport News |
City of Crime: |
Newport News |
Result: |
Pardoned |
Summary of Case: |
"Steve Lawton and Yvonne Crittel Johnson were codefendants wrongly convicted of raping a 17-year-old girl in Newport News, Virginia in June 1998. Convicted in separate jury trials, the prosecution's case was based on the testimony of Tammy Wilson that Lawton raped her while Johnson held a firearm over her. Lawton testified in his defense that he had consensual sex with Wilson and Johnson wasn't present. The case was "She Said, He Said," because there was no evidence of a crime other than Wilson's testimony. During Lawton's sentencing hearing his prosecutor argued to the judge for a stiff sentence: "It was a question of credibility. Who did the jury believe? The victim or Mr. Lawton? Apparently Mr. Lawton was not too convincing." Lawton was sentenced on October 23, 1990 for: Rape - seventy years; Use of a Firearm - two years; for a total of seventy-two years to serve. On August 16, 1996 Lawton submitted a petition for Executive Clemency based on the recantation of Wilson that she committed perjury during the trials of Lawton and Johnson, because she had consensual sex with Lawton and Johson wasn't present. Wilson passed a polygraph test that showed she was truthful that no rape occurred. Steve Lawton was awarded an Absolute Pardon by Virginia Governor George Allen on January 15, 1997, and he was released from prison. Johnson then submitted a petition for Executive Clemency on January 31, 1997, based on the new evidence she had not committed her convicted crimes. Lawton was not immediately released because he was also serving consecutive sentences for two unrelated crimes: a forgery conviction that he was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Aug. 23, 1990; and a four year sentence for a 1987 conviction of grand larceny by false pretense. The four year sentence was originally a suspended sentence, but it was converted to a prison term for a probation violation. Yvonne Crittle Johnson was awarded an Absolute Pardon by Virginia Governor George Allen on April 30, 1997, which terminated her parole. In 1998 the Virgina State legislature passed a awarding Crittle $28,000 compensation. A bill to award Lawton $500,000 failed because he was then imprisoned serving his lenghty prison sentences for forgery and grand larceny." |
Conviction Caused By: |
|
Innocence Proved By: |
"Steve Lawton was awarded an Absolute Pardon by Virginia Governor George Allen on January 15, 1997." |
Defendant Aided By: |
|
Compensation Awarded: |
Compensation denied by State of Virginia. |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
|
Age When Imprisoned: |
31 |
Age When Released: |
40 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
White |
Information Source 1: |
"List Of Pardons, Commutations, Reprieves, And Other Forms Of Clemency (January 1, 1997 Through January 14, 1998), Senate Document No. 2, Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmaond, 1998 (Entry for Lawton, Steve)" |
Information Location 1: |
http://leg2.state.va.us/dls/h&sdocs.nsf/By+Year/SD21998/$file/SD2_1998.pdf |
Information Source 2: |
"Jury Recommends 72-year Sentence In Rape, By Michael S C. Clafffey (Staff Writer) Daily Press, September 8, 1990" |
Information Location 2: |
http://articles.dailypress.com/1990-09-08/news/9009080084_1_light-sentence-sexual-battery-jury |
Information Source 3: |
|
Information Location 3: |
|
Information Source 4: |
|
Information Location 4: |
|
Information Source 5: |
|
Information Location 5: |
|
Book About Case: |
|
Book Information: |
|
Book About Case (2): |
|
Book Information (2): |
|
Movie About Case: |
|
Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org