Wrongly Convicted Database Record

 

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Harold Wright Jr.

 

Charge:

Sexual Assault (includes aggravated)

Sentence:

6 months

Years Imprisoned:

0.25

Year Crime:

2007

Year Convicted:

2007

Year Cleared:

2013

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

Washington

County or Region of Crime:

Pierce

City of Crime:

Tacoma

Result:

Judicially Exonerated

Summary of Case:

"Harold Wright Jr was codefendant of Richy Carter. Both men were wrongly convicted of the second-degree sexual assault of a woman during a party on January 31, 2004 in Tacoma, Washington. No charges were filed against either man until February 9, 2007. During the men's trial in the summer of 2007 the prosecution's key evidence was the testimony of the alleged victim. Wright testified and denied having sex with the woman, while Carter testified they had consensual sex. Both men were convicted, with Wright sentenced to 6 months in prison and Carter to 14 months in prison. The judge allowed them to remain free on bond pending the outcome of their appeal. Their convictions were overturned on September 1, 2009 by the Washington Court of Appeals, which ordered a retrial. The new prosecutor assigned to the men's retrial discovered that the alleged victim first told police that Wright was not in the room when she had sex with Carter. The prosecutor also discovered that Carter's DNA recovered from a swab of the "victims" chest could have been from Carter's spittle when he talked to her when she had her bra on. Based on the new evidence undermining the credibility of the alleged "victim," on January 7, 2013 the motion by the Pierce County DA's Office to dismiss the charges against Wright and Carter was granted."

Conviction Caused By:

Perjurious testimony by the alleged victim about what was a non-existent sexual assault.

Innocence Proved By:

"The conviction of both co-defendants was overturned by the Washington Court of Appeals on September 1, 2009. Based on the new evidence undermining the credibility of the alleged "victim," on January 7, 2013 the motion by the Pierce County DA's Office to dismiss the charges against Wright and Carter was granted."

Defendant Aided By:

Compensation Awarded:

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Age When Imprisoned:

32

Age When Released:

32

Sex:

Male

Skin/Ethnicity:

Black

Information Source 1:

"Ex-Principal files damage claim, Around the Northwest section, The Seattle Times, February 22, 2010"

Information Location 1:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011145422_apwaprincipalrape.html

Information Source 2:

"Tacoma ex-principal's sex abuse case overturned, Stacey Mulick (staff), The News Tribune, The News Tribune, September 7, 2009"

Information Location 2:

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2009/09/02/864480/tacoma-ex-principals-sex-abuse.html

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

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