Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Sodomy (also Buggery) |
Sentence: |
3.5 to 7 years |
Years Imprisoned: |
2 |
Year Crime: |
1997 |
Year Convicted: |
1998 |
Year Cleared: |
2000 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
New York |
County or Region of Crime: |
Richmond |
City of Crime: |
New York City |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"James O'Donnell was wrongly convicted in 1998 of sodomy and assault in Richmond County (New York City), New York. O'Donnell's prosecution was based on his identification by the victim and expert dental bitemark testimony that his bite matched a mark on the victim. After his conviction by a jury O'Donnell was sentenced to serve a sentence of 3-1/2 years to 7 years in prison. O'Donnell was exonerated in 2000 by post-conviction DNA tests that excluded him as the assaulant. He sued under New York's state wrongful conviction statute, and in 2006 O'Donnell was awarded $300,000 for his two years of wrongful imprisonment." |
Conviction Caused By: |
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Innocence Proved By: |
James O'Donnell was exonerated in 2000 of sodomy and assault by post-conviction DNA tests. |
Defendant Aided By: |
Innocence Project NY |
Compensation Awarded: |
"$300,000 (State of New York, 2006)" |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
32 |
Age When Released: |
34 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
White |
Information Source 1: |
"Wrongful Conviction Compensation in New York State, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism Research Center, By Clark Merrefield, 2008" |
Information Location 1: |
http://mediaworks.journalism.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1021&context=ua |
Information Source 2: |
"Wrongful Conviction, Unequal Compensation, By Clark Merrefield, 219 Magazine (New York City), By July 15, 2009" |
Information Location 2: |
http://www.219mag.com/wrongful-conviction-unfair-compensation/ |
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Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org