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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Murder and Robbery |
Sentence: |
Life Imprisonment |
Years Imprisoned: |
39 |
Year Crime: |
1967 |
Year Convicted: |
1967 |
Year Cleared: |
2014 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Maryland |
County or Region of Crime: |
Baltimore |
City of Crime: |
Baltimore |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated |
Summary of Case: |
"Walter Lomax was wrongly convicted of the 1967 murder of Robert L. Brewer committed during the robbery of the food market in Baltimore, Maryland where Brewer was the night manager. The prosecution's case was based on five eyewitnesses who identified Lomax, although two store clerks didn't identify him. Lomax is black, while all the witnesses were white. Lomax was sentenced to life in prison. With the aid of Centurion Ministries, proof was obtained that Lomax couldn't have committed the robbery because at the time it occurred his right arm was in a thick cast at the time it was committed, so he was medically incapable of committing the crime. His lawyer filed to have his conviction vacated on the basis of ineffective trial and appellate lawyers. The judge reopened the case in the "interests of justice," and vacated his life sentence, then resentenced him to time served. He was released on December 13, 2006, 39 years to the day after his arrest. However, Lomax's conviction remained. After Lomax's release exculpatory documents were discovered that the prosecution had not disclosed to Lomax's trial lawyer. In 2014 Lomax filed a writ of actual innocence based on the newly discovered exculpatory evidence. The prosecution did not oppose Lomax's petition, and it was granted on April 2, 2014, vacating Lomax's convictions. The prosecution's motion to dismiss the charges was granted. On October 30, 2019 the Board of Public Works the Maryland Board of Public Works approved payment of $78,916 per year of imprisonment under the state wrongful imprisonment statute. Walter Lomax was awarded a total of $3,026,840." |
Conviction Caused By: |
"Mistaken eyewitness identification by five eyewitness' who were white, while Lomax is black." |
Innocence Proved By: |
"In 2014 Lomax filed a writ of actual innocence based on the newly discovered exculpatory evidence. The prosecution did not oppose Lomax's petition, and it was granted on April 2, 2014, vacating Lomax's convictions. The prosecution's motion to dismiss the charges was granted." |
Defendant Aided By: |
Centurion Ministries |
Compensation Awarded: |
"$3,026,840 (State of Maryland, 10-30-2019)" |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
20 |
Age When Released: |
60 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
Black |
Information Source 1: |
"Judge overturns life sentence in '67 killing, By Julie Bykowicz, Baltimore Sun, December 14, 2006" |
Information Location 1: |
"http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.lomax14dec14,0,6844539.story?coll=bal-pe-asection" |
Information Source 2: |
"Beating a bum rap, By K.C. Myers, Cape Cod Times, December 16, 2006" |
Information Location 2: |
http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/beatinga16.htm |
Information Source 3: |
"Charges against Walter Lomax dropped in 1968 murder case: Lomax served nearly 40-year prison sentence before being released in '06, By Jessica Anderson (Staff writer), The Baltimore Sun, April 2, 2014" |
Information Location 3: |
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2014-04-02/news/bs-md-ci-lomax-case-20140402_1_brewer-unfair-trial-new-trial |
Information Source 4: |
"Maryland BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS - AFTER MEETING AGENDA SUMMARY, October 30, 2019, pgs 5 & 6" |
Information Location 4: |
https://bpw.maryland.gov/MeetingDocs/2019-Oct-30-Summary.pdf |
Information Source 5: |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org