Zachary Noah Smith

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Charge:	Child/Minor Sex Abuse (incl. molestation)
Sentence:	"10 years suspended, with probation"
Years Imprisoned:	6
Year Crime:	2005
Year Convicted:	2006
Year Cleared:	2012
U.S. State or Country of Crime:	Alabama
County or Region of Crime:	Jefferson
City of Crime:	Birmingham
Result:	Judicially Exonerated
Summary of Case:	"Zachary Noah Smith was wrongly convicted by a jury in 2006 of the first-degree sexual abuse of his three-year-old daughter in 2005 in Birmingham, Alabama. Smith and his wife divorced in 2004. The prosecution's case was based on the testimony of Smith's daughter that he touched her vagina during a visit with him. Smith testified in his defense denying that the incident occurred. Zachary Smith was sentenced to 10 years in prison, suspended pending his successful completion of 10 years probation. In 2012 Smith's daughter was 10 when she told two counselors that her father had never touched her, and her grandmother encouraged her to lie. Smith then passed a lie detector test. Based on the new evidence Smith filed a petition for a new trial. During an evidentiary hearing a clinical psychologist testified that during the interview of Smith's daughter that resulted in his indictment, the proper procedures weren't followed for ensuring the truthfulness of a child during an interview. Smith's post-conviction petition based on his new evidence was granted on December 12, 2012. His conviction was vacated and a new trial was ordered. Two days later the Jefferson County Circuit Court granted the DA's motion to dismiss Smith's indictment. Smith was ordered released from his probation after serving 6 years and 2 months in custody. "
Conviction Caused By:	Zachary Smith's daughter committed perjury at the encouragement of her great-grandmother.
Innocence Proved By:	"Smith's post-conviction petition based on his new evidence was granted on December 12, 2012. His conviction was vacated and a new trial was ordered. Two days later the Jefferson County Circuit Court granted the DA's motion to dismiss Smith's indictment. Smith was ordered released from his probation after serving 6 years and 2 months in custody."
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Was Perpetrator Identified?
Age When Imprisoned:	24
Age When Released:	30
Sex:	Male
Skin/Ethnicity:	White
Information Source 1:	"Zachary Noah Smith, The National Registry of Exonerations"
Information Location 1:	http://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetail.aspx?caseid=4155
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Zachary Noah Smith

Charge:

Child/Minor Sex Abuse (incl. molestation)

Sentence:

"10 years suspended, with probation"

Years Imprisoned:

6

Year Crime:

2005

Year Convicted:

2006

Year Cleared:

2012

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

Alabama

County or Region of Crime:

Jefferson

City of Crime:

Birmingham

Result:

Judicially Exonerated

Summary of Case:

Conviction Caused By:

Zachary Smith's daughter committed perjury at the encouragement of her great-grandmother.

Innocence Proved By:

Defendant Aided By:

Compensation Awarded:

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Age When Imprisoned:

24

Age When Released:

30

Sex:

Male

Skin/Ethnicity:

White

Information Source 1:

"Zachary Noah Smith, The National Registry of Exonerations"

Information Location 1:

http://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetail.aspx?caseid=4155

Information Source 2:

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Book About Case:

Book Information:

Book About Case (2):

Book Information (2):

Movie About Case:

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