Wrongful conviction Coverage

Man freed after wrongful murder conviction in 2001

In 2001, a jury convicted Quincy Amerson of murdering Sharita Rivera by hitting her with his car, intentionally. On Thursday, Amerson was a free man.

Harnett County man's 25-year prison stay ends after new analysis comes to light

Quincy Amerson is a free man on Thursday. His release came nearly a month after he was exonerated, an effort led by Duke's Wrongful Convictions Clinic. He was convicted in 2001 of murdering Sharita Rivera.

Shelle Jackson, WRAL reporter

Charges dismissed after judge overturns Durham man's murder conviction

A district attorney has dismissed charges against Timothy Evans months after a Durham judge overturned his murder conviction.

Sarah Krueger, WRAL investigative reporter

Freed man arrested on new charges

Kevin Johnson walked out of prison as a free man in June 2023 after spending more than a decade behind bars for shooting a Durham police officer.

WRAL Investigates: Man cleared of shooting Durham officer faces new charges. Attorney questions if he was targeted

Six months after getting released from prison, Kevin Johnson is in trouble with the law again. He and another man, Scott Burnette, face a list of drug and gun charges.

Sarah Krueger, WRAL investigative reporter

Judge weighs overturning Durham murder conviction, more than 10 years later

In 2009, Timothy Evans was convicted by a jury of second-degree murder in the 1993 homicide of Shelton Johnson in East Durham. However, Evans' conviction is now being challenged because his co-defendant has recanted his testimony.

Sarah Krueger, WRAL investigative reporter

Judge weighs whether to overturn murder conviction

Timothy Evans was convicted of second-degree murder in 1993, but his conviction is now being challenged because his co-defendant has recanted his testimony.

Former Raleigh detective sentenced to jail time

Former Detective Omar Abdullah was sentenced to 38 days in jail and two years of supervised probation.

Former Raleigh police officer sentenced to 38 days in jail for fake drug arrests that targeted Black men

Former Detective Omar Abdullah was sentenced to 38 days in jail and two years of supervised probation.

Julian Grace, WRAL anchor/reporter

Wrongfully convicted Durham man now struggling to get his $6 million payout from city

While Darryl Howard's hard work proving his innocence paid off, it has yet to pay out. A jury awarded him $6 million. He has yet to see a single cent.

Fight continues for wrongfully convicted Durham man now struggling to get his payout from city

While Darryl Howard's hard work proving his innocence paid off, it has yet to pay out. A jury awarded him $6 million. He has yet to see a single cent.

Ali Ingersoll, WRAL Investigative Data Journalist

Months after receiving pardon, wrongfully convicted Wilson man passes away

A man pardoned for a murder he did not commit died this week. Charles Ray Finch spent 43 years in prison for the murder of Richard Holloman in Wilson.

Kinston man pardoned for 1992 life sentence

For Howard Dudley, the next best thing after he walked out of prison as a free man in 2016 was having his name officially cleared.

By Cindy Choi, WITN

'I was almost in tears,' Kinston man reacts to pardon by Gov. Cooper

Howard Dudley was convicted in 1992 and was serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting his 9-year-old daughter, who later recanted her testimony and said several times in the past that she lied about the alleged assault.

Five years after his release from jail, Kinston man pardoned by Gov. Cooper

Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday announced a pardon of innocence for Howard Dudley, who served more than 20 years in jail for a crime he did not commit.

Jury finds former Durham police investigator fabricated evidence to convict man of murder

A federal court jury on Wednesday awarded $6 million to a man who spent 21 years in prison for two murders he didn't commit, finding that a retired Durham police investigator had fabricated evidence against him.

Missouri Man Is Exonerated in 3 Killings After 43 Years in Prison

After being exonerated on Tuesday for a 1978 triple murder in Kansas City, Missouri, for which he had spent more than 43 years in prison, Kevin Strickland, 62, went straight from prison to his mother's grave.

Jesus Jiménez and Claire Fahy, New York Times

'I want them to know I'm actually innocent': Freed man fights for pardon, compensation

Five years after prosecutors decided against retrying the case and dismissed all charges against Derrick Michael Allen, he is still fighting to be compensated for the years he spent in prison before his conviction was overturned.

Cullen Browder, WRAL anchor/reporter

Shut out of Innocence Commission hearing, Durham man seeks pardon after conviction thrown out

Five years after prosecutors decided against retrying the case and dismissed all charges against Derrick Michael Allen, he is still fighting to be compensated for the years he spent in prison before his conviction was overturned.

Governor pardons wrongfully convicted Wilson man who spent 43 years in prison

Gov. Roy Cooper issued a pardon of innocence on Wednesday to a Wilson man who spent 43 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

Only on WRAL: Wrongfully-convicted man who spent 43 years in prison says Wilson County's reimbursement isn't enough

"It makes me still want to cry, how much time I spent in prison," Charles Ray Finch said.

Keenan Willard, WRAL Eastern North Carolina reporter

Wrongfully convicted brothers awarded more than $80 million lawsuit against Robeson County, former sheriff, SBI

Two men falsely imprisoned for decades for the rape and murder of a young Robeson County girl were awarded $9 million, or $4.5 million apiece, in compensation their treatment by the justice system.

Wrongfully convicted men put investigators on trial

Two men falsely imprisoned for decades for the rape and murder of a young Robeson County girl are suing those responsible for their wrongful convictions, seeking compensation for what they call shoddy police work.

Cooper pardons wrongfully convicted Durham man

Gov. Roy Cooper granted a pardon of innocence Friday to a Durham man who spent more than 20 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

NC pays man wrongly imprisoned for 44 years $750,000

A man who served nearly 44 years in prison for a crime he says he didn't commit has received compensation from the state of North Carolina.