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Calvin Lee Scott celebrates four years of freedom

Posted: December 3, 2007 5:20 pm

Monday marks the fourth anniversary of Calvin Lee Scott’s exoneration in Oklahoma. Scott was wrongfully convicted of rape in 1993 and sentenced to 25 years. He spent 20 years behind bars before DNA testing proved his innocence. He was exonerated on December 3, 2003.

Faulty forensics contributed to Scott’s wrongful conviction. A criminologist testified at trial that a hair sample taken from Scott was microscopically consistent with those found at the crime scene. Scott was convicted largely based on this unreliable science. When DNA testing from the rape kit was conducted twenty years later, the criminologist’s findings were discredited, as Scott was excluded as a suspect. Learn more about faulty forensics and other causes of wrongful conviction here.

Other exoneration anniversaries this week:


Wednesday: Marcellius Bradford, Larry Ollins, Calvin Ollins & Omar Saunders, Illinois (Exonerated 12/5/01)