|
Wrongly Convicted Database Record
|
Charge: |
Murder and Robbery |
Sentence: |
Life Imprisonment |
Years Imprisoned: |
13 |
Year Crime: |
2004 |
Year Convicted: |
2004 |
Year Cleared: |
2017 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Sweden |
County or Region of Crime: |
|
City of Crime: |
Piteå |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Kaj Linna was wrongly convicted of robbery and murder in the death of a man in April 2004 on his farm about 13 miles from Piteå, Sweden. Piteå is northwest of the Gulf of Bothnia separating Sweden from Finland. The victim's brother, who had suffered a stroke, wasn't harmed during the incident. There was no physical, forensic, eyewitness or confession evidence linking Linna to the crime. Linna's prosecution was based on the testimony of a man that Linna told him he was planning to rob the brothers. After his conviction Linna was sentenced to life in prison. In May 2015, Spår, a Swedish true crime Swedish podcast that is released on the platform Acast, broadcast five episodes about Linna case. Spår is presented by two journalists, Anton Berg and Martin Johnson. One of the episodes included an interview with the prosecution's star witness against Linna, during which he gave a new version of his story that was different from his trial testimony, and was exculpatory for Linna. Linna filed a petition for a new trial that included the new evidence of the witnesses interview. In December 2016 Sweden's Supreme Court ordered a retrial. When Linna's nine-day retrial in the Swedish Court of Appeal concluded on May 30, 2017, he was released pending announcement of the court's ruling. When released he was greeted by his sister. On June 15, 2017 the appeals court's President Margareta Bergstrom announced that Linna had been acquitted: "Our conclusion is that the evidence presented at trial is insufficient and therefore can not lead to a conviction." Linna told reporters that he wanted 20-25 million kronor (US$2.28-2.86 million) in damages from the Swedish government for his 13 years wrongly imprisoned. On November 16, 2017 it was announced that Linna would receive an initial payment of 5.5 million kronor (US$655,000), but the total awarded to him would be higher." |
Conviction Caused By: |
False testimony by the prosecution's key witness. |
Innocence Proved By: |
"On June 15, 2017 the appeals court's President Margareta Bergstrom announced that Linna had been acquitted: "Our conclusion is that the evidence presented at trial is insufficient and therefore can not lead to a conviction."" |
Defendant Aided By: |
|
Compensation Awarded: |
"SEK 5.5 million (US$655,000) (Sweden, Nov. 2017)" |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
|
Age When Imprisoned: |
42 |
Age When Released: |
55 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
White |
Information Source 1: |
"Swedish man's murder conviction overturned after true-crime podcast investigation, By James Dempsey, NewsTalk.com, June 18, 2017" |
Information Location 1: |
http://www.newstalk.com/Swedish-mans-murder-conviction-overturned-after-truecrime-podcast-investigation |
Information Source 2: |
"Swede acquitted of murder after 13 years in jail – thanks, in part, to a podcast, By Emma Lofgren, thelocal.se, June 15, 2017" |
Information Location 2: |
https://www.thelocal.se/20170615/swede-acquitted-of-murder-after-13-years-in-jail-thanks-in-part-to-a-podcast |
Information Source 3: |
"Man who spent 13 years in jail over brutal murder in northern Sweden released from custody after retrial, By Staff, thelocal.se, May 30, 2017" |
Information Location 3: |
https://www.thelocal.se/20170530/man-convicted-of-brutal-murder-in-northern-sweden-released-after-retrial-kalamark-kaj-linna |
Information Source 4: |
"Swedish man Kaj Linna released from prison after podcast sparks retrial, By Steven (McIntosh Entertainment reporter), BBC News, June 15, 2017" |
Information Location 4: |
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-40260238 |
Information Source 5: |
"Swede wrongly convicted of murder to get record compensation after 13 years of jail, By Staff, thelocal.se, November 16, 2017" |
Information Location 5: |
https://www.thelocal.se/20171116/swede-wrongly-convicted-of-murder-to-get-millions-in-compensation-after-13-years-jail-kaj-linna |
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