Gerald Manning

Go to Database Search Page

Go to Database Index Page

Charge:	Murder and Rape
Sentence:	Life Imprisonment
Years Imprisoned:	40.9
Year Crime:	1977
Year Convicted:	1978
Year Cleared:	2018
U.S. State or Country of Crime:	Louisiana
County or Region of Crime:	Ouachita
City of Crime:	Monroe
Result:	Judicially Exonerated but convicted of lesser crimes
Summary of Case:	"Gerald Manning was wrongly convicted in 1978 of the murder and rape of Vonda Harris in February 1977 in Monroe, Lousiana. Harris' nude body was found behind a vacant house. The coroner determined that while she had been stabbed three times, she died from blunt force trauma to her head. About six months after Harris' murder intellectually impaired 18-year-old high school student Manning -- who was 17 when Harris was murdered -- was brought to the Monroe police station on an unrelated matter. However, after 28 hours of interrogation Manning confessed to Harris' rape and murder, although he provided conflicting information. Manning was prosecuted based on his confession, because there was no physical or forensic evidence linking him to the crime. After his conviction by a jury of second-degree murder and aggravated rape, Manning was sentenced to life in prison. Kristin Wenstrom, an attorney for the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights, became interested in Manning's case. Wenstrom was able to locate a box that contained bloody clothes torn from Harris and a weapon used for her murder. Post-conviction DNA testing of the clothes excluded the presence of Manning's DNA profile. Based on the new exculpatory evidence Manning filed a post-conviction petition to vacate his conviction and for a new trial. The Ouachita Parish District Attorney's Office opposed the petition. However, to avoid years of litigation, Manning agreed to the DA's deal that his murder and rape convictions would be dismissed in exchange for him agreeing to plead guilty to the lesser felonies of receiving stolen goods over $500, theft of goods over $500, and aggravated battery. Manning wanted to be released so he could be with his family, and particularly his elderly mother. On June 18, 2018 the murder and rape convictions were vacated and dismissed, and Manning entered his pleas to the three felonies. He was re-sentenced for those crimes and with credit for his almost 41 years in prison, he was ordered to be immediate released. Manning was released the next day from Angola State Prison. Manning is ineligible for compensation from the State of Louisiana because of his felony convictions to the lesser charges. It also preempts him from successfully obtaining compensation from a federal civil rights lawsuit."
Conviction Caused By:
Innocence Proved By:	"Post-conviction DNA testing of the clothes excluded the presence of Manning's DNA profile. Based on the new exculpatory evidence Manning filed a post-conviction petition to vacate his conviction and for a new trial. The Ouachita Parish District Attorney's Office opposed the petition. However, to avoid years of litigation, Manning agreed to the DA's deal that his murder and rape convictions would be dismissed in exchange for him agreeing to plead guilty to the lesser felonies of receiving stolen goods over $500, theft of goods over $500, and aggravated battery. On June 18, 2018 the murder and rape convictions were vacated and dismissed, and Manning entered his pleas to the three felonies. He was re-sentenced for those crimes and with credit for his 41 years in prison, he was ordered to be immediate released. Manning was released the next day from Angola State Prison."
Defendant Aided By:	"Kristin Wenstrom, an attorney for the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights."
Compensation Awarded:
Was Perpetrator Identified?
Age When Imprisoned:	18
Age When Released:	59
Sex:	Male
Skin/Ethnicity:	Black
Information Source 1:	"A long fight': Monroe man freed after more than 40 years in prison with backing of new DNA evidence, By Grace Toohey, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), June 19, 2018"
Information Location 1:	https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/crime_police/article_e83b485e-7409-11e8-8470-93772c74f088.html
Information Source 2:
Information Location 2:
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:

Go to Database Search Page

Go to Database Index Page

Gerald Manning

Charge:

Murder and Rape

Sentence:

Life Imprisonment

Years Imprisoned:

40.9

Year Crime:

1977

Year Convicted:

1978

Year Cleared:

2018

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

Louisiana

County or Region of Crime:

Ouachita

City of Crime:

Monroe

Result:

Judicially Exonerated but convicted of lesser crimes

Summary of Case:

Conviction Caused By:

Innocence Proved By:

Defendant Aided By:

"Kristin Wenstrom, an attorney for the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights."

Compensation Awarded:

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Age When Imprisoned:

18

Age When Released:

59

Sex:

Male

Skin/Ethnicity:

Black

Information Source 1:

"A long fight': Monroe man freed after more than 40 years in prison with backing of new DNA evidence, By Grace Toohey, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), June 19, 2018"

Information Location 1:

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/crime_police/article_e83b485e-7409-11e8-8470-93772c74f088.html

Information Source 2:

Information Location 2:

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: