Texas man marks 7 years of freedom

Today marks the seventh anniversary of David Shawn Pope’s exoneration in Texas. Pope served 15 years in prison after his 1986 conviction for a rape he didn’t commit. He was convicted based an eyewitness misidentification and “voice print” testimony. Evidence was presented at Pope’s trial that his “voice print” matched messages left on the victim’s answering machine. This unreliable forensic discipline is no longer used in courts.

Read more about Pope’s case here

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Today is also the fourth anniversary of the exoneration of Stephan Cowans, a Massachusetts man who was released in 2004 after serving more than 5 years in prison for an armed assault he didn’t commit. Sadly, Cowans was killed in his home in 2007.

Read more about his case here

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Other exoneration anniversaries in the last two weeks:

Robert Miller

, Oklahoma (Served 9 years, Exonerated 01/22/1998)


Alan Crotzer

, Florida (Served 24.5 years, Exonerated 01/23/2006)


Dana Holland

, Illinois (Served 8 years, Exonerated 01/30/03)


Dennis Brown

, Louisiana (Served 19 Years, Exonerated 01/31/05)