Walter McMillian
Walter McMillian is an African-American who was exonerated from Alabama's death row in 1993 after it became clear that his conviction for capital murder and resulting death sentence was wrong; McMillian was cleared of all charges.[1][2]
According to journalist Nicholas Kristof the authorities suppressed exculpatory evidence and found informants to testify against McMillian with preposterous, contradictory and constantly changing stories. McMillian had no serious criminal history and had an alibi: At the time of the murder, he was at a church fish fry, attended by dozens of people who confirmed his presence.
None of this mattered. An overwhelmingly white jury found McMillian guilty of the murder, and the judge — inauspiciously named Robert E. Lee Key Jr. — sentenced him to die."[3]
Death sentence
McMillian was sentenced to death in 1988 for the murder of a store clerk in the course of a robbery. The presiding judge changed the life sentence to death.[2]
Exoneration
McMillian was exonerated of all charges, and the sentence of death was reversed in 1993. Witnesses who had testified against McMillian admitted that they had committed perjury. Additionally, it was revealed that the prosecution had hidden vital evidence including "the existence of a witness who had seen the victim alive after the time at which the prosecution contended the crime had occurred." [1][2]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Walter McMillian". Center on Wrongful Convictions; Meet the Exonerated. Chicago, IL: Northwestern University School of Law. 2006. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
- ^ a b c "Alabama frees black man on death row for 6 years - Walter McMillan". Jet. Johnson Publishing Co. March 22, 1993.
{{cite journal}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/12/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-when-whites-just-dont-get-it-part-3.html?action=click&contentCollection=Science&module=MostEmailed&version=Full®ion=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article
External links
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