Wrongly Convicted Database Record

 

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Ruth Ann Taylor

 

Charge:

Child/Minor Sex Abuse (incl. molestation)

Sentence:

6 years

Years Imprisoned:

2

Year Crime:

1983

Year Convicted:

1985

Year Cleared:

2001

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

California

County or Region of Crime:

Kern

City of Crime:

Bakersfield

Result:

Judicially Exonerated Released

Summary of Case:

"Ruth Ann Taylor was co-defendant of Richard Cox. They were both wrongly convicted in 1985 of child sex abuse in Kern County, California. After their conviction by a jury Ruth was sentenced to 6 years in prison. The convictions of Taylor and Cox were overturned on appeal because their lawyer was not licensed by the bar association. They both took a plea deals to avoid the risk of a retrial, and they were released on parole and required to register as sex offenders. In 2001 Taylor and Cox's convictions were overturned. At the time of her exoneration Ruth was known as Ruth Ann Kroeker. Seven persons involved in the Bakersfield molestation cases -- Jeffrey Modahl, Richard Cox, Teresa Cox, Ruth Ann (Taylor) Kroeker, Carla Jo Owen, Richard Taylor and Carol Ann James -- who filed federal civil rights lawsuits against Kern County, shared a settlement in May 2003 of $4.25 million -- averaging $607,000 each. The complaint was filed on October 4, 1999. Carla, Richard and Carol were among the alleged victims who falsely accused the adults of sexual abuse."

Conviction Caused By:

Perjury or false accusations by children who alleged they were abused.

Innocence Proved By:

Defendant Aided By:

Compensation Awarded:

"$607,000 (Kern County, May 2003)"

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Age When Imprisoned:

32

Age When Released:

34

Sex:

Female

Skin/Ethnicity:

White

Information Source 1:

"Kern County settles last of molestation conviction suits, By Lois Henry (Staff writer), The Californian (Bakersfield, Calif.), March 25, 2013"

Information Location 1:

http://www.bakersfield.com/news/2013/03/26/kern-county-settles-last-of-molestation-conviction-suits.html

Information Source 2:

"7 Convicted in Child Sex Case Get Settlement: Kern County will pay $4.25 million to end a suit by people jailed for a combined 34 years, who were freed when new evidence surfaced, By John Johnson (Times Staff Writer), Los Angeles Times, May 17, 2003"

Information Location 2:

http://www.1union1.com/wrongful_imprisonment_lawsuits.html

Information Source 3:

"Modahl, et al v. County of Kern, et al., No. 1:99-cv-06463-OWW-LJO (and related case No. 1:00-cv-05742-OWW-LJO (USDC ED Cal.) (Memorandum Opinion and Order, 5-22-2003) and (Stipulation and Order, 7-21-2003 (Consolidating actions by seven plaintiffs)"

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Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org

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