Innocent Man Imprisoned for 22 Years as a Serial Killer

By Hans Sherrer

Summary: In June 2001, Jerry Frank Townsend was released after 22 years imprisonment when DNA evidence proved he was wrongly convicted of six murders.

Convicted of six murders and one rape, Jerry Frank Townsend was branded for over two decades as one of Florida's most prolific serial killers.

Although he claimed he was innocent, Mr. Townsend was unable to effectively assist in his defense since he is believed to have the mental capacity of an 8-year-old. While he was serving concurrent life sentences at Florida's Polk Correctional Institution, DNA tests unavailable at the time of his convictions were conducted on physical evidence from the crimes that had been preserved. The tests established his innocence, and he was finally released in June 2001.

Now 49-years-old, Jerry Townsend spent 22 years imprisoned for heinous crimes he did not commit.

Source: LA Times