People Put to Death Who Were Likely Innocent

⚖️ Carlos DeLuna (executed 1989, Texas)

• Convicted in 1983 for stabbing Wanda Lopez.

• Later investigations suggested another man, Carlos Hernandez, likely committed the crime.

• Case marked by misidentification, withheld evidence, and weak defense.

⚖️ Ruben Cantu (executed 1993, Texas)

• Convicted for a 1985 murder based heavily on a single eyewitness.

• Witness later recanted, saying he never saw Cantu shoot anyone.

• No physical evidence tied Cantu to the crime.

⚖️ Larry Griffin (executed 1995, Missouri)

• Convicted in 1981 for shooting a teenager.

• Witness recanted and said the bullet didn't match Griffin’s gun.

• Ballistics and eyewitness inconsistencies cloud the case.

⚖️ Joseph O’Dell (executed 1997, Virginia)

• Convicted in 1986 for a rape-murder based on questionable eyewitness IDs.

• Key witness later recanted, claiming pressure from police.

• No physical evidence directly linked him.

⚖️ David Spence (executed 1997, Texas)

• Convicted in 1984 largely on the testimony of jailhouse informants.

• Informants later admitted coercion and lies.

• No forensic or physical evidence supported the conviction.

⚖️ Leo Jones (executed 1998, Florida)

• Convicted in 1981 for murder without any direct evidence.

• Case rested on questionable informant testimony and biased jury.

• Witness credibility was later challenged.

⚖️Gary Graham (executed 2000, Texas)

• Convicted in 1981 in a racially charged atmosphere.

• One eyewitness switched her ID repeatedly.

• No forensic evidence tied to Graham.

⚖️Claude Jones (executed 2000, Texas)

• Convicted in 1989 for a double murder.

• Alibi evidence existed but was ignored by jury.

• Motive and evidence were unclear.

🔥 Cameron Todd Willingham (executed 2004, Texas)

• Convicted for causing a fire that killed his children in 1992.

• Based on now-discredited “arson science.”

• Multiple expert reviews found no evidence of purposeful ignition.

⚖️ Sedley Alley (executed 2006, Tennessee)

• Convicted in 1987 for rape-murder from jailhouse informant testimony.

• Informant later recanted, stating coercion.

• No physical evidence tied Alley to the crime.

⚖️ Troy Davis (executed 2011, Georgia)

• Convicted in 1989 for murdering a police officer, based solely on eyewitnesses.

• Seven of nine witnesses recanted; no physical evidence existed.

• Became a worldwide symbol of wrongful execution risk.

⚖️ Lester Bower (executed 2015, Texas)

• Convicted in 1984 for mass murder of oil executives.

• Prosecutorial misconduct alleged, including withheld evidence.

• Three Supreme Court justices said he deserved a new sentencing hearing.

⚖️ Brian Terrell (executed 2015, Georgia)

• Convicted in 1995 for killing a woman; no physical evidence linked him to the scene.

• Footprints and fingerprints didn’t match; disclosures of misconduct.

• Claimed innocence to the end—“Didn’t do it.”

⚖️ Richard Masterson (executed 2016, Texas)

• Convicted in 2002 for murdering wife, though no murder may have occurred.

• Raised concerns about forensic fraud, misleading testimony, and lack of motive.

⚖️ Robert Pruett (executed 2017, Texas)

• Convicted in 2002 based on jailhouse informant testimony.

• Informant later recanted, alleging promises from prosecutors.

• Crime-scene evidence was weak or contradictory.

⚖️ Carlton Michael Gary (executed 2018, Georgia)

• Convicted in 1986 of multiple murders; defense says key eyewitnesses were unreliable.

• Later DNA tests failed to link him to several murders.

• Appeals cited racial bias and false testimony.

⚖️ Domineque Ray (executed 2019, Alabama)

• Convicted in 1999 for killing a correctional officer.

• Criticized for flawed eyewitness IDs and lack of physical evidence.

• Execution reignited debates about reliability of eyewitness testimony.

⚖️Larry Swearingen (executed 2019, Texas)

• Convicted in 2000 for murdering a teen; no DNA evidence tied him to the crime.

• Jurors said they would’ve voted life if they’d known new evidence before sentencing.

• Significant doubt persisted to the end.

⚖️ Walter Barton (executed 2020, Missouri)

• Convicted in 1993 for double murder; relied on jailhouse informants.

• Informants recanted, citing promises from prosecutors.

• No physical evidence or reliable forensic tests.

⚖️ Nathaniel Woods (executed 2020, Alabama)

• Convicted for the same crime spree as his co-defendants, though gunman was someone else.

• He didn’t fire the weapon; video didn’t clearly show his participation.

• Lawyers and advocates argued he was punished disproportionately.

⚖️ Marcellus Williams (executed 2024, Missouri)

• Convicted in 1998 for murder based on weak witness statements.

• DNA on the murder weapon was contaminated.

• Prosecutor and special review board raised serious doubts, but he was executed in Sept. 2024.

📊 Innocence & the Death Penalty – Key Facts

• Since 1973, over 200 death-row inmates have been exonerated

• A 2014 study found roughly 4 % of those sentenced to death may be innocent—implying several out of 1,320 executed since 1977 could have been innocent

• At least 20 people have been executed despite serious evidence indicating possible innocence