|
Wrongly Convicted Database Record
|
Charge: |
Murder |
Sentence: |
Life Imprisonment |
Years Imprisoned: |
20 |
Year Crime: |
1988 |
Year Convicted: |
1990 |
Year Cleared: |
2010 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Ohio |
County or Region of Crime: |
Licking |
City of Crime: |
Newark |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Virginia LeFever was wrongly convicted in 1990 after a bench trial of the 1988 murder of her husband based on the testimony of prosecution expert toxicologist James Ferguson that he died from being poisoned. At the time Ferguson was Franklin County's chief toxicologist. LeFever was sentenced to life in prison. After evidence was discovered that Ferguson had falsified his credentials and experience. Ferguson was charged with two counts of falsification, and in April 2010 he pled no contest. On May 13, 2010 he was sentenced to 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. LeFever filed a motion for a new trial since her conviction was primarily based on Ferguson's now discredited testimony during which he lied. Her motion was granted and she was released on November 22, 2010 after more than 20 years in prison. The Licking County County prosecutor announced in April 2011 he would not retry her." |
Conviction Caused By: |
Prosecution expert toxicologist James Ferguson's lied about his credentials and experience. |
Innocence Proved By: |
"LeFever's motion for a new trial was granted and she was released on November 22, 2010 after more than 20 years in prison. The Licking County County prosecutor subsequently announced he would not retry her." |
Defendant Aided By: |
|
Compensation Awarded: |
|
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
|
Age When Imprisoned: |
39 |
Age When Released: |
59 |
Sex: |
Female |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
White |
Information Source 1: |
"Woman freed after witness is discredited, By Josh Jarman (staff), The Columbus Dispatch, November 23, 2010" |
Information Location 1: |
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/11/23/woman-freed-after-witness-is-discredited.html?sid=101 |
Information Source 2: |
"Former Toxicologist Sentenced For Lying About Credentials, WBNS-10TV (Columbus, OH), May 13, 2010" |
Information Location 2: |
http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2010/05/13/story-licking-county-false-testimony.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=102 |
Information Source 3: |
"Woman convicted of killing husband released from prison -- Toxicologist who testified against her lied about his credentials, By Josh Jarman, The Columbus Dispatch, November 22, 2010" |
Information Location 3: |
http://truthinjustice.org/lefever.htm |
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