Yet another Dallas exoneree will walk free this morning after spending 26 years in a Texas prison on a false rape conviction thanks to newly tested DNA evidence that cleared him.
This is another terrible case of misidentification by an eyewitness. Believe it or not, a witness actually picked Johnnie Lindsey out of a photo lineup that was mailed to her a year after the incident! Lindsey's "was one of two pictures that showed a shirtless man, a description given by the victim immediately after the attack," according to a summary of the case issued by the Innocence Project of Texas which represented Lindsey at his findings hearing.
It was also an instance where investigators and jurors discounted strong alibi evidence that "included a timecard for the day of the attack and testimony by Johnnie’s boss that his absence would have shut down their commercial laundry operation on that day."
Dallas has seen so many innocent men leaving prison recently the effect can become numbing. Blogger Trey Garrison offered these bon mots when the DNA results were announced, "Yet another Henry Wade era conviction is overturned on DNA evidence. Or as we call it in Dallas, a Tuesday."
Johnnie Lindsey is the 19th Dallas man proven innocent and freed from prison through DNA evidence and the 35th Texan overall.
Tip of the iceberg.
ReplyDeleteJust imagine the number of false convictions in other categories, especially in cases not needing corroboration.
So almost half of the statewide exonerations are from the Dallas area?
ReplyDeleteDallas is one of the very few offices who happened to preserve DNA evidence, plus the current DA is a rational person and lets the chips fall as they may.
ReplyDeleteRare convergence of evidence and decency in the Texas Justice system.
That said, it's certainly true that the previous Dallas DAs bragged about sending innocent people to jail so perhaps the numbers in that jurisdiction are larger.
I agree that the new DAllas County DA is an excellent choice. It gives stability to a county that has falsely accussed innocent men and it gives confidence to tax payers that we won't be having to keep paying for the incarceration and then the exoneration. I am certain, as I have been following Collin Counties faulty DA, is anyone or any agency going to investigate those judges and the incarcerations for adults and juveniles?
ReplyDeleteThis is so sad...26 years wasted...imagine the psychological torture...so what happened to the Bitch that did to his to him!can he sue her?
ReplyDeleteYou know, 10:57, you shouldn't blame the crime victim in these rape exonerations out of Dallas. There are valid scientific reasons why such mistakes are made and it's not malicious. She can't help she was raped and made an honest mistake.
ReplyDeleteMore to blame are the actual rapist and police and prosecutors who relied on unreliable or suggestive ID procedures, failed to require corroboration, and often ignored alibis and other exculpatory evidence.
I hope Mr. Lindsey sues for wrongful conviction and imprisonment.
ReplyDelete"...you shouldn't blame the crime victim in these rape exonerations out of Dallas.
ReplyDeleteShe can't help she was raped and made an honest mistake."
This is a depressing and hateful remark. If you think that being raped excuses committing perjury and sending an innocent man to prison for decades or life, you have a twisted view of right and wrong.
They don't ask witnesses in rape trials "do you THINK that this is the man who raped you". In ten different ways they demand to know if this is definitely the perp, are you absolutely sure. She said yes when OBVIOUSLY she could not have honestly said so and sent a man to prison to be raped and beaten as a "rapist" for years and years.
Unfortunately we live in a society that values a woman more than a man and creates a justice system guaranteed to deliver on the promise, "Better ten inoocent men go to prison than one guilty male rapist go free".
This woman did not commit "perjury," she was just mistaken. You're misplacing the blame.
ReplyDeletewow my wife and i just watched johnnie lindseys story on cable.forgive us we r only a couple of years behind cause we r in australia,but we were talking and we thought johnnie and and his family might like to come down under and have a holiday and stay with me and my wife dom.
ReplyDeleteIf anybody can help us get in contact with lindsey or his family we would be very greatful.help us make this guy smile for a while.adamdom8@hotmail.com cheers