Wisconsin Man Is Cleared

Prosecutors in Wisconsin announced today that they won’t appeal a state judge’s decision to drop charges against Ralph Armstrong, who has been in prison for nearly 30 years for a murder he has always said he didn’t commit.

The Innocence Project has worked with Armstrong’s attorneys since 1993, and Staff Attorney Ezekiel Edwards said today that this is “one of the worst cases of prosecutorial misconduct we’ve ever seen.”

For years, prosecutors hid evidence of Armstrong’s innocence and tried to sabotage his efforts to overturn his wrongful conviction. His conviction was overturned in 2005 after DNA testing on hair and semen excluded Armstrong as the perpetrator. Prosecutors sought to retry Armstrong, and he has been in custody awaiting retrial for four years.

Armstrong will be sent to New Mexico to face pending parole violations on an unrelated conviction.

Today’s statement from the Innocence Project – and more background on the case

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News coverage:

Murder Charge Against Armstrong Dropped

(Associated Press, 08/19/09)

UPDATE 8/20/09:

Wisconsin Public Radio:

Three Decades Later, Case Is Dropped Against Rape and Homicide Suspect

Wisconsin State Journal:

Armstrong Won't Be Prosecuted Again

Associated Press:

Wisconsin Won't Appeal Case Against Cleared Inmate