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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Murder |
Sentence: |
Death sentenced suspended to life in prison |
Years Imprisoned: |
27 |
Year Crime: |
1993 |
Year Convicted: |
1995 |
Year Cleared: |
2020 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
China |
County or Region of Crime: |
Jiangxi |
City of Crime: |
Zhangjia |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Zhang Yuhuan was wrongly convicted of murder in January 1995 in the death of two boys in October 1993 who were neighbors of his in Zhangjia Village, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China. Yuhuan's prosecution was based on his confession, which Yuhuan repudiated as coerced under torture. Yuhuan was sentenced to death after his conviction in the Nanchang Intermediate People’s Court. His sentence was commuted to life imprisonment two years in 1997. Yuhuan filed numerous appeals that were rejected. In August 2017 Yuhuan petitioned the Jiangxi High People's Court for a retrial, based on his claim his confession was coerced and there was insufficient evidence he committed the murders. In March 2019 his petition was granted. Prosecutors conceeded during his retrial that his confession had inconsistencies and did not match the original crime. On August 4, 2020 the Jiangxi High People’s Court acquitted Yuhuan on the basis insufficient evidence was presented at his trial to establish his guilt of the boys' murder. In particular, the court concluded it was not possible to prove Yuhuan was connected to sacks and hemp rope found at the murder scene and identified as tools in the crime. The Court stated: "After we reviewed the materials we found there is no direct evidence that can prove Zhang's conviction. So we... have declared Zhang innocent." The Court apologized to Yuhuan and informed he has the right to apply for compensation from the state. Yuhuan was released after serving 9,778 days in the prison in Jiangxi province. He served more time imprisoned than any other person released in China based on being wrongly convicted." |
Conviction Caused By: |
Coerced confession by police torture. |
Innocence Proved By: |
"On July 25, 2020 the Jiangxi High People’s Court acquitted Yuhuan on the basis insufficient evidence was presented at his trial to establish his guilt of the boys' murder. The Court apologized to Huhuan and informed he has the right to apply for compensation from the state." |
Defendant Aided By: |
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Compensation Awarded: |
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Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
25 |
Age When Released: |
52 |
Sex: |
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Skin/Ethnicity: |
Chinese |
Information Source 1: |
"Chinese court frees man wrongly accused of murder after 27 years in prison, " |
Information Location 1: |
https://www.dw.com/en/china-wrongly-accused-murder/a-54453948 |
Information Source 2: |
"Innocent man released in China after record 9,778 days in prison, By Eduardo Baptista (reporter), South China Morning Post, August 6, 2020" |
Information Location 2: |
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3096241/innocent-man-released-china-after-record-9778-days-prison |
Information Source 3: |
"Zhang Yuhuan: Chinese court clears man of murder after 27 years in prison, BBC News, August 5, 2020" |
Information Location 3: |
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-53666557 |
Information Source 4: |
"China clears man of murder after 27 years behind bars, By AFP (Beijing), Khaleej Times (UAE), August 6, 2020" |
Information Location 4: |
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/20200806/china-clears-man-of-murder-after-27-years-behind-bars |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org