Beatrice Six
The "Beatrice Six" were Joseph White, Thomas Winslow, Ada JoAnn Taylor, Debra Shelden, James Dean and Kathy Gonzalez who were falsely found guilty of the 1985 rape and murder of a woman in Beatrice, Nebraska. The conviction was won on forensics done by Joyce Gilchrist (who was later discredited as playing a role in multiple false convictions), and five confessions which were obtained under threats that they would be given the death penalty if they did not.[1][2] In 2008 DNA evidence implicated Bruce Allen Smith, an original prime suspect, in the murders and all were exonerated the year later.[3]
White died in 2011. The remaining are engaged in a lawsuit against Gage County, Nebraska which went to trial in January 2014.[4]
See also
References
- ^ "Nebraskans Mark a Year of Freedom". Innocence Project.
- ^ Strauss, David L.; Steven A. Drizin (2010). "Afterword". Barbarous souls. Evanston, Ill.: Northwestern University Press. p. 256. ISBN 0810126710.
- ^ Chris Dunker (November 25, 2013). "Beatrice Six ask judge to limit suggestions they were guilty". Beatrice Daily Sun.
- ^ Chris Dunker. "County asks Beatrice Six trials to be separated". Beatrice Daily Sun.
External links
- Kathy Gonzalez innocenceproject.org
- Thomas Winslow innocenceproject.org
- Joseph White innocenceproject.org
- Ada JoAnn Taylor innocenceproject.org
- James Dean innocenceproject.org
- Debra Shelden innocenceproject.org