Exonerated Ohio Prisoners are at 42 with more to come.

The number of exonerated Ohio prisoners is growing thanks to the Ohio Innocence Project.

The Ohio Innocence Project (OIP) is a legal organization at the University of Cincinnati College of Law committed to exonerating wrongfully convicted persons incarcerated in Ohio. OIP seeks to identify inmates in Ohio prisons who were falsely accused and found guilty of the felonies such as robbery, rape, or murder.

Since 2003, more than 40 men and women wrongfully imprisoned and convicted in Ohio have had their wrongful convictions overturned. Those wrongfully convicted of felonies, sentenced from decades to life in prison, and even the death penalty have been exonerated, marking a significant victory in the fight against injustice and wrongful incarceration. Each cleared inmate’s story serves as a testament to the tireless efforts of organizations like the Ohio Innocence Project in seeking justice for the wrongfully imprisoned.

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Exonerated Prisoners in Ohio

	Name	Years in Prison	Year Released
1	Gary Reece	25 years	2005
2	Clarence Elkins	7.5 years	2005
3	Chris Bennett	4 years	2006
4	Bruce Paul	14 years	2008
5	Robert McClendon	18 years	2008
6	Joseph Fears	25 years	2009
7	Nancy Smith	15 years	2009
8	Willie Knighten	12 years	2009
9	Raymond Towler	29 years	2010
10	Teddy Moseley	10 years	2010
11	Wally Zimmer	12 years	2011
12	David Ayers	11 years	2011
13	Roger “Dean” Gillispie	20 years	2011
14	Bryant “Rico” Gaines	9 years	2012
15	Glenn Tinney	20 years	2013
16	Doug Prade	15 years	2013
17	Dewey Jones	20 years	2014
18	Rickey Jackson	39 years	2014
19	Wiley Bridgeman	39 years	2014
20	Kwame Ajamu	28 years	2014-2015
21	Derrick Wheatt	18 years	2015
22	Laurese Glover	18 years	2015
23	Eugene Johnson	18 years	2015
24	Jim Parsons	23 years	2016
25	Evin King	23 years	2017
26	Ruel Sailor	15 years	2018
27	Chris Miller	17 years	2018
28	Charles Jackson	27 years	2018
29	Christopher Smith	12 years	2020
30	Isaiah Andrews	45 years	2020
31	Jerry McMeans	30 years	2020
32	Michael Sutton	14 years	2021
33	Alfred Cleveland Jr.	25 years	2021
34	Eric Brunner	13 years	2021
35	Aaron Culberston Jr.	8 years	2022
36	David Clark	30 years	2022
37	Alan Butts	20 years	2022
38	Wayne Braddy	23 years	2023
39	Karl Willis	23 years	2023
40	Richard Horton	16 years	2023
41	Marcus Sapp	13 years	2023
42	Marty Levingston	15 years	2023

Since 1993, the Innocence Project has received over 65,600 letters from incarcerated individuals seeking help in proving their innocence, often due to injustice. The intake team processes the letters chronologically and thoroughly reviews each case request received, striving to uncover exoneration opportunities for those behind bars.

Innocence is often determined by DNA evidence or other forensic evidence, shedding light on wrongful convictions. Still, it can include several types of new evidence, such as unheard eyewitness accounts and confessions, all vital in the fight against injustice. Recent expert testimony, unseen physical evidence, inept prosecutors, or proof of police misconduct can also be classified as new evidence, providing a glimmer of hope for those wrongfully imprisoned.

black man over black background | Exonerated Ohio Prisoners — The Ohio Innocence Project seeks justice for the wrongfully imprisoned.

According to The National Innocence Project, 375 people, including 21 people sentenced to death and served time on death row, have been exonerated through post-conviction DNA testing as of January 2020, highlighting the critical role of DNA evidence in uncovering the truth. The demographics of exonerated Ohio prisoners are not published. However, nationally, more than 60% of people exonerated are of color (African American, Latino, or Asian), while the remainder are white, underscoring the importance of addressing racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

Although exact statistics are unknown, studies estimate between 2.3 percent and 5 percent of death row cases in the United States are wrongly convicted, emphasizing the urgency of rectifying these injustices. For context, if just 1 percent of all prisoners are innocent, more than 20,000 innocent people are imprisoned, highlighting the ongoing need to fight for justice and exoneration.

If you know of an innocent Ohio prisoner who has a wrongful conviction, wrongful imprisonment, or failed by the criminal justice system, complete this Ohio Innocence Project Application.

Ohio Innocence Project Application

The Rosenthal Institute for Justice was established at the UC College of Law thanks to the generosity of Lois and Richard Rosenthal.

Additional Legal Resources

Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bar Association
Cincinnati NAACP
Hamilton County Office of Re-entry
Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati
NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
Ohio Justice & Policy Center
Ohio State Bar Association

Written by: Crystal Kendrick

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