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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Murder |
Sentence: |
Life Imprisonment |
Years Imprisoned: |
6.83 |
Year Crime: |
2002 |
Year Convicted: |
2009 |
Year Cleared: |
2015 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
India |
County or Region of Crime: |
Kerala |
City of Crime: |
Marad |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Kelappandakathu Sajeevan, Thekkethodi Vijeesh, Vibeesh, Choichendakathu Ranjith, Avalapurayil Prahaladan, Kelappandakathu Rajesh, Arayachendakathu Manikandan, Thekkethodi Suresh, Cheriyapurayil Vinod, Thekkethodi Vijith, Thekkethodi Sreedharan, and Choichendakathu Kaleesh AKA Krishnakumar were 12 codefendants wrongly convicted on January 15, 2009 of murder in the death of Thekkethodi Aboobacker at Marad, a coastal village in Kozhikode, on January 4, 2002, during a riot between two communities. The twelve were sentenced to life in prison. On November 27, 2015 the Kerala High Court reversed the convictions of the 12 and acquitted them based on insufficient evidence to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The High Court noted that the 12 were entitled to the 'benefit of doubt' because they were not properly identified in court as being involved in the crime, and the medical report did not make any mention of repeated hacking on Aboobacker's body as claimed by witnesses. The murder convictions and life sentences of two additional defendants were affirmed by the High Court." |
Conviction Caused By: |
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Innocence Proved By: |
"On November 27, 2015 the Kerala High Court reversed the convictions of the 12 and acquitted them based on insufficient evidence to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The High Court noted that the 12 were entitled to the 'benefit of doubt' because they were not properly identified in court as being involved in the crime, and the medical report did not make any mention of repeated hacking on Aboobacker's body as claimed by witnesses." |
Defendant Aided By: |
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Compensation Awarded: |
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Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
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Age When Released: |
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Sex: |
Male |
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Information Source 1: |
"Kerala High Court acquits 12 in first Marad murder case, By Staff, Deccan Chronicle, November 28, 2015" |
Information Location 1: |
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/151128/nation-current-affairs/article/kerala-high-court-acquits-12-first-marad-murder-case |
Information Source 2: |
"Marad Communal Riots: Kerala HC Acquits 12 Murder Accused, By Express News Service, The New Indian Express, November 28, 2015" |
Information Location 2: |
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/Marad-Communal-Riots-Kerala-HC-Acquits-12-Murder-Accused/2015/11/28/article3150403.ece |
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Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org