According to a new report from Amnesty International, Death Sentences and Executions in 2015,there were 51 exonerations of prisoners worldwide under sentence of death in six countries: China (1), Egypt (1), Nigeria (41), Pakistan (at least 21), Taiwan (1), and the USA (6).
In total, 156 prisoners have been exonerated in the USA. In 2015, the exonerated prisoners were:
. Debra Milke (Arizona)
. Anthony Hinton (Alabama) - Evidence previously
used against him showed that his weapon was not linked to the bullets used in a murder. He had spent nearly 30 years on death row.
. Willie Manning (Mississippi), after the court ruled that the prosecution did not disclose key evidence that could have invalidated a witness’ testimony and proved his innocence. (Read more about Willie Manning's case here).
. Alfred Brown (Texas) - the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned his conviction after it found that
prosecutors had not disclosed phone records that would have supported Alfred Brown’s evidence that he was not at the crime scene at the time of the crime.
. Lawrence Lee (Georgia)
dismissed charges against Lawrence Lee, on the basis that there was not enough evidence to prosecute him.
. Derral Hodgkins (Florida)
the Supreme Court of Florida remitted the case of Derral Hodgkins to the lower courts for acquittal
of murder on the basis that there was not enough evidence to sustain the conviction. He was released in October after the Court refused to reconsider its decision.
The report concludes:
In total, 156 prisoners have been exonerated in the USA. In 2015, the exonerated prisoners were:
. Debra Milke (Arizona)
. Anthony Hinton (Alabama) - Evidence previously
used against him showed that his weapon was not linked to the bullets used in a murder. He had spent nearly 30 years on death row.
. Willie Manning (Mississippi), after the court ruled that the prosecution did not disclose key evidence that could have invalidated a witness’ testimony and proved his innocence. (Read more about Willie Manning's case here).
. Alfred Brown (Texas) - the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned his conviction after it found that
prosecutors had not disclosed phone records that would have supported Alfred Brown’s evidence that he was not at the crime scene at the time of the crime.
. Lawrence Lee (Georgia)
dismissed charges against Lawrence Lee, on the basis that there was not enough evidence to prosecute him.
. Derral Hodgkins (Florida)
the Supreme Court of Florida remitted the case of Derral Hodgkins to the lower courts for acquittal
of murder on the basis that there was not enough evidence to sustain the conviction. He was released in October after the Court refused to reconsider its decision.
The report concludes:
Claims of innocence and evidence of unsafe convictions continued to characterize the use of the death penalty in several other cases throughout the USA in 2015.
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