Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Drug Related (Possession or sale) |
Sentence: |
6 years |
Years Imprisoned: |
4.8 |
Year Crime: |
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Year Convicted: |
2001 |
Year Cleared: |
2007 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Ohio |
County or Region of Crime: |
Summit |
City of Crime: |
Akron |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated |
Summary of Case: |
"Solomon J. Stallings was wrongly convicted in 2001 of drug possession in Summit County, Ohio. Stallings' conviction after a bench (judge only) trial was based on the hearsay statement of Alexander Quarterman, an acquaintance of Stallings, that Stallings was in illegal possession of drugs and firearms. The judge overruled admission of Quarterman's statement. Solomon Stallings was sentenced to six years in prison. Stallings conviction was affirmed by Ohio's courts on direct appeal and his post-conviction appeal was denied. On September 10, 2003 Stallings filed a federal habeas corpus petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 based on the single issue that he was denial his federal 6th Amendment right to confront his accuser by the admission of Quarterman's hearsay statement inculpating Stallings. The U.S. District Court denied Stallings' petition. He appealed. On October 4, 2006 the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the lower court ruling and granted Stallings petition on the basis his 6th Amendment right to confront his accuser had been prejudicially violated because the prosecution relied on Quarterman's hearsay statement to obtain his conviction. Stallings was released on bond after serving 1,753 days of wrongful imprisonment. The Summit County DA declined to retry Stallings and his charges were dismissed. On May 12, 2011 the Ohio Court of Claims awarded Stallings compensation of $224,596.26, plus $4,933.24 paid for back child support, and his attorney was awarded $50,470.50." |
Conviction Caused By: |
Hearsay testimony. |
Innocence Proved By: |
"On October 4, 2006 the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the lower court ruling and granted Stallings petition on the basis his 6th Amendment right to confront his accuser had been prejudicially violated because the prosecution relied on Quarterman's hearsay statement to obtain his conviction." |
Defendant Aided By: |
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Compensation Awarded: |
"$224,596.26 (State of Ohio, May 2011)" |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Sex: |
Male |
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Information Source 1: |
"Stallings v. Bobby, 464 F. 3d 576 (6th Cir., 10-4-2006) (Reversing state conviction on the basis of the violation of Stallings 6th Amend. right to confront his accuser.)" |
Information Location 1: |
"https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=2263229888362822605&q=Solomon+Stallings+ohio&hl=en&as_sdt=6,48" |
Information Source 2: |
"Solomon Stallings v. State of Ohio, No. 2011-03367 WI (Ohio Ct. of Claims, 5-12-2001) (Granting compensation and attorney fees)" |
Information Location 2: |
http://cases.ohiocourtofclaims.gov/cgi-bin/wspd_cgi.sh/ws_civilcasesearch_2007.r?mode=5&CaseNo=201103367http://cases.ohiocourtofclaims.gov/cgi-bin/wspd_cgi.sh/streamfile.p?Serial=110509001246555&Seq=1 |
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Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org