Hattie Mae Tanner

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Charge:	Second Degree Murder and Robbery
Sentence:	Life Imprisonment without possibility of parole
Years Imprisoned:	17.3
Year Crime:	1995
Year Convicted:	2000
Year Cleared:	2018
U.S. State or Country of Crime:	Michigan
County or Region of Crime:	Calhoun
City of Crime:	Battle Creek
Result:	Judicially Exonerated
Summary of Case:	"Hattie Mae Tanner was wrongly found guilty in November 2000 of second-degree murder, felony murder, and armed robbery in the death of Sharon Watson, a bartender at Barney's Bar and Grill in Battle Creek, Michigan on March 22, 1995. Hattie Tanner was arrested on May 23, 2000, After her conviction by a jury she was sentenced to life in prison without parole on December 15, 2000. After Tanner's convictions were affirmed on direct appeal and her post-conviction petition for a new trial was denied in the state courts, Tanner filed a federal writ of habeas corpus. The U.S. District Court On August 15, 2017 the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals granted Tanner's federal habeas corpus petition based on the prosecution's failure to introduce sufficient evidence to prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The Court's ruling stated: "For the foregoing reasons, we REVERSE the judgment of the district court and remand the case to the district court with directions to grant the writ, setting aside Tanner’s conviction and freeing her unconditionally from state supervision." Hattie Tanner was discharged from the custody of the Michigan Dept. of Corrections on September 7, 2017. On November 13, 2017 the State of Michigan (i.e., warden Joan Yukins) filed a petition for a writ of certiorari in the U.S. Supreme Court in Joan Yukins, Warden v. Hattie Tanner, (USSC No. 17-729). After briefing was concluded the petition was DISTRIBUTED for the USSC justices conference of 3/16/2018."
Conviction Caused By:
Innocence Proved By:	"On August 15, 2017 the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals granted Tanner's federal habeas corpus petition based on the prosecution's failure to introduce sufficient evidence to prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The Court's ruling stated: "For the foregoing reasons, we REVERSE the judgment of the district court and remand the case to the district court with directions to grant the writ, setting aside Tanner’s conviction and freeing her unconditionally from state supervision.""
Defendant Aided By:
Compensation Awarded:
Was Perpetrator Identified?
Age When Imprisoned:	40
Age When Released:	57
Sex:	Female
Skin/Ethnicity:	Black
Information Source 1:	"Hattie Tanner v. Joan Yukins, No. 0:2015pr01691 (6th Cir., 08/15/2017) (Affirming USDC Eastern Dist Michigan,grant of habeas corpus petition based on prosecution presenting insufficient evidence of guilt.)"
Information Location 1:	http://www.opn.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/17a0180p-06.pdf
Information Source 2:	"Barney's Bar murder conviction overturned, woman freed after 17 years, By Trace Christenson, Battle Creek Enquirer (Battle Creek, Mich.), August 15, 2017"
Information Location 2:	http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/news/2017/08/15/barneys-bar-murder-conviction-overturned-woman-freed-after-17-years/570558001/
Information Source 3:	"People v. Tanner, 671 NW 2d 728 (Mich. Supreme Court 2003) (Direct appeal affirming conviction and sentence.)"
Information Location 3:	"https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=16958933973152917809&q=Hattie+Mae+Tanner&hl=en&as_sdt=6,48"
Information Source 4:	"People v. Tanner, 660 NW 2d 746, 255 Mich. App. 369 (Mich. Ct of Appeals 2003) (Direct appeal affirming conviction and sentence.)"
Information Location 4:	"https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=10548757354944024396&q=Hattie+Mae+Tanner&hl=en&as_sdt=6,48"
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Hattie Mae Tanner

Charge:

Second Degree Murder and Robbery

Sentence:

Life Imprisonment without possibility of parole

Years Imprisoned:

17.3

Year Crime:

1995

Year Convicted:

2000

Year Cleared:

2018

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

Michigan

County or Region of Crime:

Calhoun

City of Crime:

Battle Creek

Result:

Judicially Exonerated

Summary of Case:

Conviction Caused By:

Innocence Proved By:

Defendant Aided By:

Compensation Awarded:

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Age When Imprisoned:

40

Age When Released:

57

Sex:

Female

Skin/Ethnicity:

Black

Information Source 1:

"Hattie Tanner v. Joan Yukins, No. 0:2015pr01691 (6th Cir., 08/15/2017) (Affirming USDC Eastern Dist Michigan,grant of habeas corpus petition based on prosecution presenting insufficient evidence of guilt.)"

Information Location 1:

http://www.opn.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/17a0180p-06.pdf

Information Source 2:

"Barney's Bar murder conviction overturned, woman freed after 17 years, By Trace Christenson, Battle Creek Enquirer (Battle Creek, Mich.), August 15, 2017"

Information Location 2:

http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/news/2017/08/15/barneys-bar-murder-conviction-overturned-woman-freed-after-17-years/570558001/

Information Source 3:

"People v. Tanner, 671 NW 2d 728 (Mich. Supreme Court 2003) (Direct appeal affirming conviction and sentence.)"

Information Location 3:

"https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=16958933973152917809&q=Hattie+Mae+Tanner&hl=en&as_sdt=6,48"

Information Source 4:

"People v. Tanner, 660 NW 2d 746, 255 Mich. App. 369 (Mich. Ct of Appeals 2003) (Direct appeal affirming conviction and sentence.)"

Information Location 4:

"https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=10548757354944024396&q=Hattie+Mae+Tanner&hl=en&as_sdt=6,48"

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