Jonathan Scott Pierpoint

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Charge:	Sexual Assault (includes aggravated)
Sentence:	Life Imprisonment
Years Imprisoned:	18
Year Crime:	1990
Year Convicted:	1992
Year Cleared:	2010
U.S. State or Country of Crime:	North Carolina
County or Region of Crime:	Madison
City of Crime:	Hot Springs
Result:	Judicially Exonerated Released
Summary of Case:	"Jonathan Scott Pierpoint was wrongly convicted in 1992 of sexually assaulting his 8-year-old stepson based soley on the boy's testimony. Pierpoint was convicted after a trial that lasted one-and-a-half days, and he was sentenced to life in prison. Five years later the boy recanted his testimony claiming it was due to his youth and being influenced to lie by other adults. In 2008 the Duke Law School's Wrongful Convictions Clinic began working on Pierpoint's case, and filed a motion for a new trial based on the the recanted testimony and ineffective assitance of counsel by Pierpoint's trial lawyer. On July 6, 2010 North Carolina Superior Court Judge Charles P. Ginn vacated Pierpoint's conviction and ordered his immediate release. The judge ruled that "In light of the new evidence, no reasonable juror would have found the defendant guilty by a reasonable doubt." The Madison County District Attorney's Office did not oppose the motion for a new trial. Pierpoint failed in his effort to be granted a gubenatorial pardon based on his innocence, a predicate for obtaining compensation from the state."
Conviction Caused By:	"False testimony by the alleged victim, who later recanted his testimony as a lie."
Innocence Proved By:	"Conviction overturned on July 6, 2010 by North Carolina Superior Court Judge Charles P. Ginn based on recantation by his accuser. The charges were dismissed."
Defendant Aided By:	Duke Law School’s Wrongful Conviction Clinic
Compensation Awarded:	No
Was Perpetrator Identified?
Age When Imprisoned:	30
Age When Released:	48
Sex:	Male
Skin/Ethnicity:	White
Information Source 1:	"N.C. Man’s Conviction Overturned After 17-Year Imprisonment, Office of News & Communication, July 7, 2010"
Information Location 1:	http://truthinjustice.org/pierpoint.htm
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Jonathan Scott Pierpoint

Charge:

Sexual Assault (includes aggravated)

Sentence:

Life Imprisonment

Years Imprisoned:

18

Year Crime:

1990

Year Convicted:

1992

Year Cleared:

2010

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

North Carolina

County or Region of Crime:

Madison

City of Crime:

Hot Springs

Result:

Judicially Exonerated Released

Summary of Case:

Conviction Caused By:

"False testimony by the alleged victim, who later recanted his testimony as a lie."

Innocence Proved By:

"Conviction overturned on July 6, 2010 by North Carolina Superior Court Judge Charles P. Ginn based on recantation by his accuser. The charges were dismissed."

Defendant Aided By:

Duke Law School’s Wrongful Conviction Clinic

Compensation Awarded:

No

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Age When Imprisoned:

30

Age When Released:

48

Sex:

Male

Skin/Ethnicity:

White

Information Source 1:

"N.C. Man’s Conviction Overturned After 17-Year Imprisonment, Office of News & Communication, July 7, 2010"

Information Location 1:

http://truthinjustice.org/pierpoint.htm

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Book About Case:

Book Information:

Book About Case (2):

Book Information (2):

Movie About Case:

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