Eric Olson

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Charge:	"Sexual Crime Online (e.g., enticing minor in chatroom for sex)"
Sentence:	6 months
Years Imprisoned:	0.25
Year Crime:
Year Convicted:	2007
Year Cleared:	2008
U.S. State or Country of Crime:	Wisconsin
County or Region of Crime:
City of Crime:
Result:	Judicially Exonerated
Summary of Case:	"Eric Olson was wrongly convicted after pleading no contest to violating Wisconsin's law prohibiting the use of "a computer to facilitate a child sex crime in violation." In the course of chatting in an Internet chatroom with a police officer pretending to be an eighth grader, Eric Olson took off his shirt to reveal his bare chest transmitted by a webcam. He did not at any time proposition the "girl" or attempt to arrange a meeting. After being charged with violating the law Olson plead no contest in exchange for a six month jail sentence. His sentence was stayed so he could appeal the legality of applying the law to his situation. On October 2, 2008 Wisconsin's District 4 Court of Appeals ruled that Olson's actions did not constitute a crime because he did nothing to exhibit he had any intent to engage in any sex act with the "girl", and it ordered the lower court to allow Olson to withdraw his no contest plea. Since the appeals court ruled his conduct did not constitute a crime, the prosecution would have little recourse except to dismiss the charges."
Conviction Caused By:	Erroneous interpretation of the law by the prosecution and the trial judge.
Innocence Proved By:	"On October 2, 2008 Wisconsin's District 4 Court of Appeals ruled that Olson's actions did not constitute a crime."
Defendant Aided By:
Compensation Awarded:
Was Perpetrator Identified?
Age When Imprisoned:	49
Age When Released:	49
Sex:	Male
Skin/Ethnicity:
Information Source 1:	"State v. Eric T. Olson, No. 2008AP000587-CR (WI Ct of Appeals, Dist IV, 10-02-2008)"
Information Location 1:	http://www.wicourts.gov/ca/opinion/DisplayDocument.html?content=html&seqNo=34188
Information Source 2:	"Man caught in online sex sting not guilty, By Ryan J. Foley, Press Pioneer (St Paul, MN), October 2, 2008"
Information Location 2:	http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_10618500
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Eric Olson

Charge:

"Sexual Crime Online (e.g., enticing minor in chatroom for sex)"

Sentence:

6 months

Years Imprisoned:

0.25

Year Crime:

Year Convicted:

2007

Year Cleared:

2008

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

Wisconsin

County or Region of Crime:

City of Crime:

Result:

Judicially Exonerated

Summary of Case:

Conviction Caused By:

Erroneous interpretation of the law by the prosecution and the trial judge.

Innocence Proved By:

"On October 2, 2008 Wisconsin's District 4 Court of Appeals ruled that Olson's actions did not constitute a crime."

Defendant Aided By:

Compensation Awarded:

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Age When Imprisoned:

49

Age When Released:

49

Sex:

Male

Skin/Ethnicity:

Information Source 1:

"State v. Eric T. Olson, No. 2008AP000587-CR (WI Ct of Appeals, Dist IV, 10-02-2008)"

Information Location 1:

http://www.wicourts.gov/ca/opinion/DisplayDocument.html?content=html&seqNo=34188

Information Source 2:

"Man caught in online sex sting not guilty, By Ryan J. Foley, Press Pioneer (St Paul, MN), October 2, 2008"

Information Location 2:

http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_10618500

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Book About Case:

Book Information:

Book About Case (2):

Book Information (2):

Movie About Case:

Comments About Case: