Killing Mocking Birds

Richie Lionell | Jul 06, 2015 | | | |

 

"The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box."

From To Kill A Mocking Bird

154 people on death row have been exonerated in the United States since 1973. 81 Black 59 White 12 Latino & 2 Others. Data from the Death Penalty Information Center reveals that a Black American on death row spends on an average 13.5 years in prison before being exonerated. Charges against 53 were dismissed, 7 have been pardoned and 21 acquitted.

What is the average number of years a White American on death row spends in prison before being exonerated? 8.8 years.

A Black American on death row is likely to go through a long legal battle and will be really fortunate if he is exonerated.

Each bar below is an exoneree. The bars are sorted based on the year of conviction and the height of each bar indicates the number of years between the year of conviction and the year of exoneration.The color of the bar indicates the race.

Wilbert Lee was convicted in 1963 and spent 12 years in prison before being exonerated in 1975 Freddie Pitts was convicted in 1963 and spent 12 years in prison before being exonerated in 1975 Peter Limone was convicted in 1968 and spent 33 years in prison before being exonerated in 2001 James Richardson was convicted in 1968 and spent 21 years in prison before being exonerated in 1989 David Keaton was convicted in 1971 and spent 2 years in prison before being exonerated in 1973 Lawyer Johnson was convicted in 1971 and spent 11 years in prison before being exonerated in 1982 Samuel Poole was convicted in 1973 and spent 1 years in prison before being exonerated in 1974 James Creamer was convicted in 1973 and spent 2 years in prison before being exonerated in 1975 Christopher Spicer was convicted in 1973 and spent 2 years in prison before being exonerated in 1975 Joseph Brown was convicted in 1974 and spent 13 years in prison before being exonerated in 1987 Clarence Smith was convicted in 1974 and spent 2 years in prison before being exonerated in 1976 Ronald Keine was convicted in 1974 and spent 2 years in prison before being exonerated in 1976 Richard Greer was convicted in 1974 and spent 2 years in prison before being exonerated in 1976 Thomas Gladish was convicted in 1974 and spent 2 years in prison before being exonerated in 1976 Delbert Tibbs was convicted in 1974 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 1977 Laurence Adams was convicted in 1974 and spent 30 years in prison before being exonerated in 2004 Kwame Ajamu was convicted in 1975 and spent 39 years in prison before being exonerated in 2014 Wiley Bridgeman was convicted in 1975 and spent 39 years in prison before being exonerated in 2014 Ricky Jackson was convicted in 1975 and spent 39 years in prison before being exonerated in 2014 Jerry Banks was convicted in 1975 and spent 5 years in prison before being exonerated in 1980 Johnny Ross was convicted in 1975 and spent 6 years in prison before being exonerated in 1981 Jonathan Treadway was convicted in 1975 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 1978 Earl Charles was convicted in 1975 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 1978 Gary James was convicted in 1976 and spent 26 years in prison before being exonerated in 2003 Timothy Howard was convicted in 1976 and spent 26 years in prison before being exonerated in 2003 Gary Beeman was convicted in 1976 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 1979 Ernest Graham was convicted in 1976 and spent 5 years in prison before being exonerated in 1981 James Robison was convicted in 1977 and spent 16 years in prison before being exonerated in 1993 Vernon McManus was convicted in 1977 and spent 10 years in prison before being exonerated in 1987 Randall Adams was convicted in 1977 and spent 12 years in prison before being exonerated in 1989 Anthony Peek was convicted in 1978 and spent 9 years in prison before being exonerated in 1987 Charles Giddens was convicted in 1978 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 1981 Larry Hicks was convicted in 1978 and spent 2 years in prison before being exonerated in 1980 Michael Linder was convicted in 1979 and spent 2 years in prison before being exonerated in 1981 Darby Tillis was convicted in 1979 and spent 8 years in prison before being exonerated in 1987 Perry Cobb was convicted in 1979 and spent 8 years in prison before being exonerated in 1987 Dennis Williams was convicted in 1979 and spent 17 years in prison before being exonerated in 1996 Robert Wallace was convicted in 1980 and spent 7 years in prison before being exonerated in 1987 Gary Nelson was convicted in 1980 and spent 11 years in prison before being exonerated in 1991 Clarence Brandley was convicted in 1981 and spent 9 years in prison before being exonerated in 1990 Clifford Bowen was convicted in 1981 and spent 5 years in prison before being exonerated in 1986 Annibal Jaramillo was convicted in 1981 and spent 1 years in prison before being exonerated in 1982 Robert Cruz was convicted in 1981 and spent 14 years in prison before being exonerated in 1995 Nicholas Yarris was convicted in 1982 and spent 21 years in prison before being exonerated in 2003 Neil Ferber was convicted in 1982 and spent 4 years in prison before being exonerated in 1986 Roberto Miranda was convicted in 1982 and spent 14 years in prison before being exonerated in 1996 Ricardo Guerra was convicted in 1982 and spent 15 years in prison before being exonerated in 1997 Troy Jones was convicted in 1982 and spent 14 years in prison before being exonerated in 1996 Charles Fain was convicted in 1983 and spent 18 years in prison before being exonerated in 2001 Juan Ramos was convicted in 1983 and spent 4 years in prison before being exonerated in 1987 Reginald Griffin was convicted in 1983 and spent 30 years in prison before being exonerated in 2013 Charles Smith was convicted in 1983 and spent 8 years in prison before being exonerated in 1991 Anthony Porter was convicted in 1983 and spent 16 years in prison before being exonerated in 1999 Willie Brown was convicted in 1983 and spent 5 years in prison before being exonerated in 1988 Anthony Brown was convicted in 1983 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 1986 Oscar Morris was convicted in 1983 and spent 17 years in prison before being exonerated in 2000 John Skelton was convicted in 1983 and spent 7 years in prison before being exonerated in 1990 Larry Troy was convicted in 1983 and spent 5 years in prison before being exonerated in 1988 Richard Jones was convicted in 1983 and spent 4 years in prison before being exonerated in 1987 Juan Melendez was convicted in 1984 and spent 18 years in prison before being exonerated in 2002 Leroy Orange was convicted in 1984 and spent 19 years in prison before being exonerated in 2003 Earl Washington was convicted in 1984 and spent 16 years in prison before being exonerated in 2000 Larry Fisher was convicted in 1984 and spent 1 years in prison before being exonerated in 1985 Glenn Ford was convicted in 1984 and spent 30 years in prison before being exonerated in 2014 Henry Lee McCollum was convicted in 1984 and spent 30 years in prison before being exonerated in 2014 Leon Brown was convicted in 1984 and spent 30 years in prison before being exonerated in 2014 Federico Macias was convicted in 1984 and spent 9 years in prison before being exonerated in 1993 Kirk Bloodsworth was convicted in 1984 and spent 9 years in prison before being exonerated in 1993 Dale Johnston was convicted in 1984 and spent 6 years in prison before being exonerated in 1990 Curtis Kyles was convicted in 1984 and spent 14 years in prison before being exonerated in 1998 Derrick Jamison was convicted in 1985 and spent 20 years in prison before being exonerated in 2005 Anthony Hinton was convicted in 1985 and spent 30 years in prison before being exonerated in 2015 John Thompson was convicted in 1985 and spent 18 years in prison before being exonerated in 2003 Steven Smith was convicted in 1985 and spent 14 years in prison before being exonerated in 1999 Alejandro Hernandez was convicted in 1985 and spent 10 years in prison before being exonerated in 1995 Benjamin Harris was convicted in 1985 and spent 12 years in prison before being exonerated in 1997 Adolph Munson was convicted in 1985 and spent 10 years in prison before being exonerated in 1995 Rolando Cruz was convicted in 1985 and spent 10 years in prison before being exonerated in 1995 Muneer Deeb was convicted in 1985 and spent 8 years in prison before being exonerated in 1993 Verneal Jimerson was convicted in 1985 and spent 11 years in prison before being exonerated in 1996 Paul House was convicted in 1986 and spent 23 years in prison before being exonerated in 2009 Nathson Fields was convicted in 1986 and spent 23 years in prison before being exonerated in 2009 Curtis McCarty was convicted in 1986 and spent 21 years in prison before being exonerated in 2007 Aaron Patterson was convicted in 1986 and spent 17 years in prison before being exonerated in 2003 Jay Smith was convicted in 1986 and spent 6 years in prison before being exonerated in 1992 Joseph Amrine was convicted in 1986 and spent 17 years in prison before being exonerated in 2003 Frank Smith was convicted in 1986 and spent 14 years in prison before being exonerated in 2000 Rudolph Holton was convicted in 1986 and spent 16 years in prison before being exonerated in 2003 Madison Hobley was convicted in 1987 and spent 16 years in prison before being exonerated in 2003 Gordon Steidl was convicted in 1987 and spent 17 years in prison before being exonerated in 2004 Ernest Willis was convicted in 1987 and spent 17 years in prison before being exonerated in 2004 Michael McCormick was convicted in 1987 and spent 20 years in prison before being exonerated in 2007 Gregory Wilhoit was convicted in 1987 and spent 6 years in prison before being exonerated in 1993 Jimmy Mathers was convicted in 1987 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 1990 Stanley Howard was convicted in 1987 and spent 16 years in prison before being exonerated in 2003 Michael Graham was convicted in 1987 and spent 13 years in prison before being exonerated in 2000 Eric Clemmons was convicted in 1987 and spent 13 years in prison before being exonerated in 2000 Albert Burrell was convicted in 1987 and spent 13 years in prison before being exonerated in 2000 Walter McMillian was convicted in 1988 and spent 5 years in prison before being exonerated in 1993 Robert Cox was convicted in 1988 and spent 1 years in prison before being exonerated in 1989 Ronald Kitchen was convicted in 1988 and spent 21 years in prison before being exonerated in 2009 Robert Miller was convicted in 1988 and spent 10 years in prison before being exonerated in 1998 Bradley Scott was convicted in 1988 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 1991 Ronald Williamson was convicted in 1988 and spent 11 years in prison before being exonerated in 1999 Ronald Jones was convicted in 1989 and spent 10 years in prison before being exonerated in 1999 Warren Manning was convicted in 1989 and spent 10 years in prison before being exonerated in 1999 Joe D'Ambrosio was convicted in 1989 and spent 23 years in prison before being exonerated in 2012 Joseph Burrows was convicted in 1989 and spent 7 years in prison before being exonerated in 1996 Harold Wilson was convicted in 1989 and spent 16 years in prison before being exonerated in 2005 Sabrina Butler was convicted in 1990 and spent 5 years in prison before being exonerated in 1995 Carl Lawson was convicted in 1990 and spent 6 years in prison before being exonerated in 1996 Debra Milke was convicted in 1990 and spent 25 years in prison before being exonerated in 2015 Clarence Dexter was convicted in 1991 and spent 8 years in prison before being exonerated in 1999 Andrew Golden was convicted in 1991 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 1994 David Grannis was convicted in 1991 and spent 5 years in prison before being exonerated in 1996 Robert Hayes was convicted in 1991 and spent 6 years in prison before being exonerated in 1997 Ray Krone was convicted in 1992 and spent 10 years in prison before being exonerated in 2002 Randal Padgett was convicted in 1992 and spent 5 years in prison before being exonerated in 1997 Joseph Green was convicted in 1993 and spent 7 years in prison before being exonerated in 2000 Christopher McCrimmon was convicted in 1993 and spent 4 years in prison before being exonerated in 1997 Gary Gauger was convicted in 1993 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 1996 Steve Manning was convicted in 1993 and spent 7 years in prison before being exonerated in 2000 Levon Jones was convicted in 1993 and spent 15 years in prison before being exonerated in 2008 William Nieves was convicted in 1994 and spent 6 years in prison before being exonerated in 2000 Gussie Vann was convicted in 1994 and spent 17 years in prison before being exonerated in 2011 Anthony Graves was convicted in 1994 and spent 16 years in prison before being exonerated in 2010 Glen Chapman was convicted in 1994 and spent 14 years in prison before being exonerated in 2008 Michael Blair was convicted in 1994 and spent 14 years in prison before being exonerated in 2008 Willie Manning was convicted in 1994 and spent 21 years in prison before being exonerated in 2015 Jonathon Hoffman was convicted in 1995 and spent 12 years in prison before being exonerated in 2007 Gary Drinkard was convicted in 1995 and spent 6 years in prison before being exonerated in 2001 Kennedy Brewer was convicted in 1995 and spent 13 years in prison before being exonerated in 2008 Yancy Douglas was convicted in 1995 and spent 14 years in prison before being exonerated in 2009 Shareef Cousin was convicted in 1996 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 1999 Dan Bright was convicted in 1996 and spent 8 years in prison before being exonerated in 2004 Wesley Quick was convicted in 1997 and spent 6 years in prison before being exonerated in 2003 Alfred Rivera was convicted in 1997 and spent 2 years in prison before being exonerated in 1999 Jeremy Sheets was convicted in 1997 and spent 4 years in prison before being exonerated in 2001 Damon Thibodeaux was convicted in 1997 and spent 15 years in prison before being exonerated in 2012 Joaquin Martinez was convicted in 1997 and spent 4 years in prison before being exonerated in 2001 Paris Powell was convicted in 1997 and spent 12 years in prison before being exonerated in 2009 Thomas Kimbell was convicted in 1998 and spent 4 years in prison before being exonerated in 2002 Alan Gell was convicted in 1998 and spent 6 years in prison before being exonerated in 2004 Seth Penalver was convicted in 1999 and spent 13 years in prison before being exonerated in 2012 Michael Toney was convicted in 1999 and spent 10 years in prison before being exonerated in 2009 Lemuel Prion was convicted in 1999 and spent 4 years in prison before being exonerated in 2003 Larry Osborne was convicted in 1999 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 2002 Ryan Matthews was convicted in 1999 and spent 5 years in prison before being exonerated in 2004 Robert Springsteen was convicted in 2001 and spent 8 years in prison before being exonerated in 2009 Daniel Moore was convicted in 2002 and spent 7 years in prison before being exonerated in 2009 John Ballard was convicted in 2003 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 2006 Alfred Brown was convicted in 2005 and spent 10 years in prison before being exonerated in 2015 Herman Lindsey was convicted in 2006 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 2009 Carl Dausch was convicted in 2011 and spent 3 years in prison before being exonerated in 2014 10 20 30 Years Bars are sorted by the year of conviction.

1411 people have been executed in America between 1977 & 2015 June.793 White 490 Black 114 Latino 16 Native American 6 Asian & 2 Others. The data mirrors the disturbing debates of racially motivated judgments that have been happening all through these years. To see more details click on a bar and hover over any path.

165 Blacks (33.74% of Blacks executed) have been executed where the victim involved was Black. 293 Blacks (59.9% of Blacks executed) have been executed where the victim involved was White. This goes to show that the chances for a black man to be executed are high if the victim happens to be White.

737 Whites (94.13% of Whites executed) have been executed where the victim involved was White. 20 Whites (2.55% of Whites executed) have been executed where the victim involved was Black. The chances of a White American not being sentenced to death are very high if the victim happens to be Black.

54 Latinos (47.37% of Latinos executed) have been executed where the victim involved was White. 55 Latinos(48.25% of Latinos executed) have been executed where the victim involved was Latino.

1411 Offenders Executed Offender's Race Other Asian Native American Latino Black White Black White Victim's Race Native American Native Other Asian Latino Black White Black White 1 (50.00% of Others executed) Others have been executed where the victim involved was Other. | No of Victims: 2 1 (50.00% of Others executed) Others have been executed where the victim involved was White. | No of Victims: 1 4 (66.67% of Asians executed) Asians have been executed where the victim involved was Asian. | No of Victims: 6 2 (33.33% of Asians executed) Asians have been executed where the victim involved was White. | No of Victims: 5 2 (12.50% of Native Americans executed) Native Americans have been executed where the victim involved was Native. | No of Victims: 3 1 (6.25% of Native Americans executed) Native Americans have been executed where the victim involved was Latino. | No of Victims: 1 13 (81.25% of Native Americans executed) Native Americans have been executed where the victim involved was White. | No of Victims: 17 2 (1.75% of Latinos executed) Latinos have been executed where the victim involved was Asian. | No of Victims: 2 55 (48.25% of Latinos executed) Latinos have been executed where the victim involved was Latino. | No of Victims: 87 3 (2.63% of Latinos executed) Latinos have been executed where the victim involved was Black. | No of Victims: 4 54 (47.37% of Latinos executed) Latinos have been executed where the victim involved was White. | No of Victims: 64 3 (0.61% of Blacks executed) Blacks have been executed where the victim involved was Other. | No of Victims: 3 11 (2.25% of Blacks executed) Blacks have been executed where the victim involved was Asian. | No of Victims: 16 17 (3.48% of Blacks executed) Blacks have been executed where the victim involved was Latino. | No of Victims: 24 165 (33.74% of Blacks executed) Blacks have been executed where the victim involved was Black. | No of Victims: 269 293 (59.92% of Blacks executed) Blacks have been executed where the victim involved was White. | No of Victims: 350 1 (0.13% of Whites executed) Whites have been executed where the victim involved was Native American. | No of Victims: 2 1 (0.13% of Whites executed) Whites have been executed where the victim involved was Native. | No of Victims: 1 1 (0.13% of Whites executed) Whites have been executed where the victim involved was Other. | No of Victims: 1 5 (0.64% of Whites executed) Whites have been executed where the victim involved was Asian. | No of Victims: 9 19 (2.43% of Whites executed) Whites have been executed where the victim involved was Latino. | No of Victims: 37 20 (2.55% of Whites executed) Whites have been executed where the victim involved was Black. | No of Victims: 65 737 (94.13% of Whites executed) Whites have been executed where the victim involved was White. | No of Victims: 1214 2183 Victims

Has the elevation of an African American to the office of President helped? In a way it has been a balm for the struggles of the past but going by the racial tension escalating in America the struggles of the Black community don't seem to be dying away yet.

 

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