Conviction review
Convictions that were overturned, and innocence claims courts are ruling on this week. Read what the evidence was and where it broke.
People v. Medera
Appellate Court of Illinois issued an opinion on November 12, 2026 that deals with an innocence claim. From the opinion: “…his or her conviction based on a claim of actual innocence or where there was a substantial denial of…”
1992 · IllinoisOverturned
Wrongful conviction of Juan Rivera
Juan A. Rivera Jr. (born October 31, 1972) is an American man who was wrongfully convicted three times for the 1992 rape and murder of 11-year-old Holly Staker in Waukegan, Illinois. He was convicted twice on the basis of a confession that he said was coerced.
2026 · Appellate Court of IllinoisIn courtPeople v. Lehnert
Appellate Court of Illinois issued an opinion on November 10, 2026 that deals with an innocence claim. From the opinion: “…plea claim but reverse the dismissal of his actual innocence claim and remand for further proceedings.…”
1978 · IllinoisOverturnedThe Ford Heights Four
The Ford Heights Four (Verneal Jimerson, Dennis Williams, Kenneth Adams, and Willie Rainge) were formerly imprisoned convicts, who were falsely accused and convicted of the double murder of Lawrence Lionberg and Carol Schmal in Ford Heights, Illinois, and later exonerated. Jimerson and Williams were sentenced to death, Adams to 75 years in prison and Rainge to life. Following the murder in 1978, the four spent…
1991 · IllinoisOverturnedDixmoor 5
The Dixmoor 5 are five African-American men who, as teenagers, were falsely convicted of the November 1991 rape and murder of 14-year-old Cateresa Matthews in Dixmoor, Illinois. At the time of arrest, the defendants, Robert Taylor, Jonathan Barr, James Harden, Robert Lee Veal and Shainne Sharp were all between the ages of 14 and 16. During high-pressure interviews, three of them gave false confessions leading to…
1983 · IllinoisOverturnedRolando Cruz case
Rolando Cruz (born 1963) is an American man known for having been wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death, along with co-defendant Alejandro Hernandez, for the 1983 kidnapping, rape, and murder of 10-year-old Jeanine Nicarico in DuPage County, Illinois. Cruz and Hernandez both became suspects after making detailed reports to the police, which they later claimed to be false, about the murder. Their first trial…
1985 · IllinoisOverturnedMurder of Jeanine Nicarico
The Jeanine Nicarico murder case was a complex and influential homicide investigation and prosecution in which two men, Rolando Cruz and Alejandro Hernandez, were wrongfully convicted of abduction, rape and murder in 1985 in DuPage County, Illinois. They were both sentenced to death. The case was scrutinized during appeals for being weak in evidence.
1988 · IllinoisOverturnedJoseph Burrows
Joseph H. Burrows (October 5, 1953 – October 15, 2009) was an American man who was wrongfully convicted of the murder of farmer William E. Dulan at his home in Iroquois County, Illinois, in 1988. After his conviction and sentence to death in 1989, Burrows was held for nearly five years on death row. Peter Rooney, a reporter for the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette, obtained a recantation from a key witness against…
1984 · IllinoisOverturnedLeroy Orange
Leroy Orange (born July 20, 1950, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American man, who on January 12, 1984, was arrested along with his half-brother, Leonard Kidd, for the murders of four people (Ricardo Pedro, 25, Michelle Jointer, 30, Renee Coleman, 27, and Coleman's 10-year-old son, Tony) at 1553 W 91st Street in Chicago's South Side Brainerd neighborhood based on false accusations by Kidd. Orange was convicted on the…
2007 · IllinoisExonerated 2007Jerry Miller
On April 23, 2007, Jerry Miller became the 200th person in the U.S. to be exonerated through DNA evidence.
1996 · IllinoisExonerated 1996Richard Johnson
In 1992, Richard Johnson was wrongly convicted of a rape and robbery he did not commit in Illinois. He was later exonerated in 1996.
2026 · Appellate Court of IllinoisIn courtPeople v. Drew
Appellate Court of Illinois issued an opinion on May 28, 2026 that deals with an innocence claim. From the opinion: “…postconviction petition arguing that newly discovered evidence established his actual innocence. He…”
2015 · IllinoisExonerated 2015Angel Gonzalez
On March 10, 2015, Angel Gonzalez was exonerated after serving over 20 years in prison for a rape that he did not commit.
2026 · Appellate Court of IllinoisIn courtPeople v. Anderson
Appellate Court of Illinois issued an opinion on January 23, 2026 that deals with an innocence claim. From the opinion: “…was later exonerated and won a wrongful conviction suit. ¶ 92 Reeves recalled that…”
1989 · IllinoisExonerated 2018Kevin Bailey
Kevin Bailey was 19 years old when Chicago police used physically coercive techniques to get him to falsely confess to a 1989 murder.
2025 · IllinoisExonerated 2025Danny Davis
In November 2025, Danny Davis was exonerated of a 1992 murder of a 63-year-old woman in Cairo, Illinois.
1999 · IllinoisExonerated 1999John Willis
In 1992, John Willis was wrongly convicted of two counts of sexual assault in Illinois. He was later exonerated in 1999.
2011 · IllinoisExonerated 2011Robert Taylor
In 1997, Robert Taylor was wrongly convicted of a rape and murder in Illinois. He was later exonerated in 2011.
2013 · IllinoisExonerated 2013Bennie Starks
In 1986, Bennie Starks was wrongly convicted of rape and battery in Illinois. He was later exonerated in 2013.
2012 · IllinoisExonerated 2012Harold Richardson
In 1997, Harold Richardson was wrongly convicted of a rape and murder in Illinois. He was later exonerated in 2012.
2012 · IllinoisExonerated 2012Terrill Swift
In 1998, Terrill Swift was wrongly convicted of a rape and murder in Illinois. He was later exonerated in 2012.
2012 · IllinoisExonerated 2012Vincent Thames
In 1998, Vincent Thames was wrongly convicted of a rape and murder in Illinois. He was later exonerated in 2012.
2012 · IllinoisExonerated 2012Michael Saunders
In 1997, Michael Saunders was wrongly convicted of a rape and murder in Illinois. He was later exonerated in 2012.
2011 · IllinoisExonerated 2011Robert Lee Veal
In 1995, Robert Lee Veal was wrongly convicted of a murder he did not commit in Illinois. He was later exonerated in 2011.