Recent Exonerations in the US
The National Registry of Exonerations tracks all known wrongful convictions cleared in the United States. Over the past five years, there have been hundreds of exonerations—147 in 2024, 153 in 2023, a record 250+ in 2022, 161 in 2021, and 124 in 2020—often involving official misconduct, false accusations, or flawed forensics. Below is a curated list of 12 notable cases (grouped by year, starting with the most recent) for brevity, focusing on diverse states and causes. Each includes the person’s name, state, primary crime, years served, and key reason for exoneration. These stories highlight systemic flaws and resilience.
2025 Exonerations (as of October)
• Gary Melock (Florida; Murder; 34 years served): Cleared after a certificate of innocence; suppressed evidence pointed to another perpetrator, including witness recantations and forensic reanalysis.
• Unnamed Philadelphia Cases (Pennsylvania; Drug/Murder; Average 10–15 years each): Multiple via DA’s Conviction Review Unit; withheld Brady material and coerced confessions common in group reviews.
2024 Exonerations
• 17 Houston PD Narcotics Cases (Texas; Drug Offenses; Average 5–10 years each): Group exoneration tied to framing by officer Gerald Goines; planted evidence exposed in ongoing scandal, part of 26 Texas cases.
• Rudy Sanchez (Illinois; Murder; 22 years): Exonerated via new ballistics evidence; official misconduct in hiding exculpatory reports, one of 20 Illinois cases.
2023 Exonerations
• Sandra Hemme (Missouri; Murder; 43 years): Cleared by evidence of mental coercion and alternative suspect; flawed “shaken baby” forensics debunked, one of four death row exonerees.
• Glynn Simmons (Oklahoma; Murder; 48 years, death row): Exonerated after witness recantation and no physical evidence; prosecutorial suppression, highlighting long-term imprisonment trends.
2022 Exonerations
• Kevin Strickland (Missouri; Triple Murder; 43 years): Freed after recanted witness testimony exposed coerced statements; no physical evidence linked him to the crime.
• Robert DuBoise (Florida; Murder/Rape; 37 years): DNA from crime scene matched a serial killer; false forensics and informant lies uncovered.
2021 Exonerations
• Marcellus Williams (Missouri; Murder; 21 years on death row): Exonerated via DNA on the murder weapon excluding him; prosecutorial suppression of alibi evidence.
• Darryl Anthony Howard (North Carolina; Arson/Murder; 26 years): Cleared after fire science experts debunked arson claims; junk forensic testimony invalidated.
2020 Exonerations
• Chester Hollman III (Pennsylvania; Murder; 26 years served): Exonerated after DNA evidence excluded him and pointed to another suspect; official misconduct in withholding evidence.
• Deshawn Currie (North Carolina; Robbery/Murder; 17 years): Cleared by DNA retesting on a cigarette butt linking a convicted serial rapist; flawed eyewitness ID.
These cases represent just a fraction of exonerations. For the full database, check the National Registry of Exonerations:
https://exonerationregistry.org