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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Aiding and Abetting Murder and Rape |
Sentence: |
Life Imprisonment with a minimum of 30 years before eligible for parole |
Years Imprisoned: |
19 |
Year Crime: |
1996 |
Year Convicted: |
1998 |
Year Cleared: |
2019 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Idaho |
County or Region of Crime: |
Bonneville |
City of Crime: |
Idaho Falls |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Christopher Tapp aka Chris Tapp was wrongly convicted in May 1998 of aiding and abetting murder and rape of Angie Dodge in Bonneville County, Idaho in 1996. Tapp was arrested and charged in 1997 based on his confession, that he recanted as coerced, and a witness who claimed she overheard Tapp and another man talking about stabbing Dodge. After his conviction by a jury Tapp was sentenced to life in prison with the prossibility of parole after he had served a minimum of 20 years for the murder, plus an additional 10 years minimum for the rape. He was eligible for parole in 2027. Based on post-conviction DNA testing that excluded him from crime scene evidence, Tapp was conditionally released from prison on March 22, 2017 when he accepted a deal for his rape conviction to be dismissed and his release on time served for his murder related conviction. In May 2019 the crime scene DNA was matched to Brian Dripps. When questioned, Dripps confessed he raped and murdered Dodge alone and that he had never heard of Tapp until he was prosected for the crimes. Based on Dripps' confession and the cirme scene DNA matching him, Tapp filed a post-conviction motion for a new trial and to vacate his conviction. The Bonneville County DA's Office also filed a motion to vacate Tapps conviction. On July 17, 2019 the charges against Tapp were dismissed. In December 2019 Tapp served notice of his intent to sue the City of Idaho Falls and the Idaho Falls Police Department for violation of his constitutional rights and that he was subject to wrongful arrest, false imprisonment, negligence, infliction of emotional distress, defamation, and malicious prosecution." |
Conviction Caused By: |
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Innocence Proved By: |
"Based on Dripps' confession and the cirme scene DNA matching him, Tapp filed a post-conviction motion for a new trial and to vacate his conviction. The Bonneville County DA's Office also filed a motion to vacate Tapps conviction. On July 17, 2019 the charges against Tapp were dismissed." |
Defendant Aided By: |
Innocence Project NY |
Compensation Awarded: |
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Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
21 |
Age When Released: |
41 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
White |
Information Source 1: |
"Prosecutor: Chris Tapp ‘convicted of a crime he did not commit’ in Angie Dodge case, By Cynthia Sewell, Idaho Statesman, July 12, 2019" |
Information Location 1: |
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/crime/article232606462.html |
Information Source 2: |
"Exonerees in Florida, Idaho Murder Cases Initiate Lawsuits for Wrongful Prosecution, By Staff, Death Penalty Information Center, January 10, 2020" |
Information Location 2: |
https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/news/exonerees-in-florida-idaho-murder-cases-initiate-lawsuits-for-wrongful-prosecution?utm_source=WeeklyUpdate&utm_campaign=31dc55425b-weekly_update_2017_w41_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_37cc7e4461-31dc55425b-344697801 |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org