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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Rape |
Sentence: |
Life Imprisonment |
Years Imprisoned: |
4.58 |
Year Crime: |
2005 |
Year Convicted: |
2007 |
Year Cleared: |
2011 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Alabama |
County or Region of Crime: |
Jefferson |
City of Crime: |
Birmingham |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Antonio Williams was wrongly convicted in May 2007 of raping a girl several times when she was between the ages of 3 and 6. In 2003 the girl was 7 when it was discovered she had an STD, so someone had sexual contact with her. Two years later, in 2005, Williams was arrested when she said he was the man who had raped her, which he denied. The only evidence against Williams during his trial was the girl's testimony. The jury convicted Williams and he was sentenced to life in prison. The girl was 15 when on April 14, 2011 she was interviewed by the police about an unrelated issue. She told them that Williams had never abused or raped her. She named another man as the person who actually committed the crimes, and that he had also abused her older half-sister. When the police interviewed her half-sister she corroborated that the man had abused her. The Jefferson County DA reopened Williams case and Williams was appointed a lawyer, who filed a motion for a new trial. During a hearing held in May 2011 the girl repeatedly stated under oath that Williams never touched her and that she only named him as her rapist because the man who actually raped threatened to harm her if she ever told anyone what he did to her. She named the actual rapist. Her testimony was corroborated by testimony by her half-sister, who named the same man as her abuser. It was also disclosed during the hearing that the girl told her stepmother that Williams did not abuse or rape her, but the stepmother did not tell that to the police or prosecutors. After the hearing the judge set aside Williams' conviction and ordered a new trial. The Jefferson County DA decided not to retry Williams and when the charges were dismissed on August 23, 2011 Williams was released after 4 years 6 months and 26 days of wrongful incarceration." |
Conviction Caused By: |
The child victim lied because the actual rapist threatened to harm her if she told the truth. |
Innocence Proved By: |
"After Williams' conviction was vacated and a new trial ordered in May 2011, the Jefferson County DA decided not to retry Williams and when the charges were dismissed on August 23, 2011 Williams was released after 4 years 6 months and 26 days of wrongful incarceration." |
Defendant Aided By: |
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Compensation Awarded: |
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Was Perpetrator Identified? |
Yes |
Age When Imprisoned: |
38 |
Age When Released: |
43 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
Black |
Information Source 1: |
"Birmingham man, wrongly convicted of rape, is now free and starting his life over, By Carol Robinson (staff writer), Birmingham News, October 23, 2011" |
Information Location 1: |
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/10/birmingham_man_wrongly_convict.html |
Information Source 2: |
"Birmingham News readers come to aid of man who lost everything after wrongly convicted of rape, staff writers, Birmingham News, October 24, 2011" |
Information Location 2: |
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/10/birmingham_news_readers_come_t.html |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org