Anthony Robinson celebrates seven years of freedom today

After spending 13 years fighting to clear his name,

Anthony Robinson

was exonerated on November 14, 2000 in Houston after DNA testing proved his innocence. Robinson was convicted of sexual assault in 1987 and sentenced to 27 years. He would spend ten years behind bars and three on parole before he raised his own funds to pay for private DNA testing. Robinson’s 13-year struggle for freedom ended in 2000, when the state conducted its own DNA test, confirming his innocence and leading to his exoneration.

At Robinson’s trial, the prosecution’s case relied heavily on the victim’s identification of Robinson as her attacker. Though Robinson offered to provide police with a blood sample to prove his innocence, at the time of his trial DNA testing was not yet admitted as evidence in Harris County, Texas, where Robinson was tried. Robinson was thus convicted largely on the basis of eyewitness testimony.

Eyewitness misidentification is one of the major causes of wrongful conviction

.

Other exoneration anniversaries this week:



Friday:

Donald Reynolds

, Illinois (Served 11 years, Exonerated November 16, 1997)


Billy Wardell

, Illinois (Served 11 years, Exonerated November 16, 1997)