On December 6, 2011, in a 6-4 decision, the Court of Appeals granted writs of innocence in the remaining two rape cases, fully exonerating Haynesworth. He wrote letters to local newspapers, law students, and 60 Minutes, pleading for help to appeal his case. Thomas Haynesworth (born March 21, 1965) is a resident of Richmond, Virginia, who served 27 years in state prison as a result of four wrongful convictions for crimes for which he was exonerated in 2011. [7], (Note: Convicted felons are prohibited from voting in Virginia, even after they serve their sentences and complete parole or probation. The Innocence Files on Netflix deconstructs the timeline of events, and shows how the unreliability of human memories affected the case. All nine episodes of The Innocence Files are now available to stream on Netflix. Here's what we know about the wrongfully-convicted Virginia native. Tracing the cases of eight wrongfully convicted men and the incredible work that The Innocence Project put in to exonerate them, The Innocence Files is a breathtaking look at the ways in which the justice system fails so many innocent people. READ MOREThe Innocence Files: Who is Barry Scheck? The woman identified him as her attacker and he was arrested. Charge: Rape, Sodomy, Abduction, Use of a firearm, Attempted robbery, Conviction: Rape (two counts), Robbery, Abduction, Contributing Causes of Conviction: Eyewitness Misidentification, The Alternative Perpetrator Identified: No, Yes. He was exonerated after 27 years in prison. In May 2012, the Potomac Local News reported that Haynesworth had been awarded $1,075,178 in damages for his wrongful imprisonment. At the time, DNA evidence was not as advanced as it is today, so the rape kit used by the women following the attacks was not taken for a DNA comparison. Copyright 2023 Distractify. ACTRESS, Marlo Thomas, has been married to former daytime talk show host, Phil Donahue, for over 40 years. Haynesworth was fully exonerated in the remaining two cases in December 2011. Despite the unanimous agreement of the prosecutors and Cuccinelli (who, as attorney general, was the state's chief law enforcement officer), the court seemingly interpreted the new laws allowing for Haynesworth to make his case more strictly than the General Assembly intended, according to The New York Times. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. There are a lot of people behind the scenes who believed in me. Featured in the Netflix series The Innocence Files. Keep reading to find out the details of Thomass case, including where the investigation went wrong and what hes been up to since getting out of prison. Advertisement Richard Thomas was born on June 13, 1951. Under this review, semen collected from the January 3, 1984 rape was tested for DNA evidence, a forensic technology that was not available in 1984. You can scroll down for information about his Social media profiles. These crimes matched the same modus operandi as the other rapes committed by Davis. Temi Adebowale was previously an Editorial Assistant at Men's Health, covering shows like Survivor, Peaky Blinders, and Tiger King. All Rights Reserved. ", In January 1984, Janet Burke was sexually assaulted at a daycare center in Richmond and accused Haynesworth of being the perpetrator. [2] On January 30, an 18-year-old woman was abducted, raped, and sodomized in nearby Henrico County, within blocks of the other attacks. With this knowledge, Haynesworths legal team reached out to the Richmond and Henrico Commonwealths Attorneys to review Haynesworths other convictions. On January 21, an 18-year-old woman was sodomized at knifepoint near a grocery store. In its 2012 session, the General Assembly passed a bill granting $1,075,178 in compensation to Haynesworth for wrongful imprisonment, and it was signed by Gov. The first victim, Janet Burke appears in The Innocence Files and recounts her experience and how she came to identify Thomas Haynesworth at the time. Without media coverage, he married Jillian Wisniewski in Franklin, Tennessee. In May 2012, Thomas received $1,075,178 [870,598.Lesotho's scandal-hit prime minister will stand down immediately following an agreement between the coalition government and political parties in the southern African . [1] Haynesworth said Cuccinelli was "an extraordinary guy" and that as "a total stranger [he] put it on the line for me. At the individual trials, the victims physically pointed to Haynesworth as their attacker in the courtroom. [14] The legislature also granted an additional $100,910 for an annuity to provide Haynesworth with a monthly income of $1,516 when he reaches age 60, and provided him with tuition of up to $10,000 in the Virginia community college system. Over the course of four weeks in the winter of 1984, five women were assaulted in a series of attacks in and around the East End neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia. The bill's state Senate sponsor, Henry L. Marsh, said "No amount of money can make up for the experience that Mr. Haynesworth suffered, but I think this bill is a good result in terms of helping him restore his life. "[1] Shawn Armbrust of the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project said, "To find Haynesworth guilty, a jury would have to accept the coincidence that there were two guys in the same neighborhood who looked alike and were committing the same crimes. "Now, as Mr. Haynesworth begins the next chapter in his life, it is morally right for Virginia to provide him with a means to financial security and the ability to move on with his future," the states governor, Bob McDonnell, said at the time. Gabriel Fernandez: Is Pearl Fernandez still in prison? Governor Mark Warner ordered the State Attorney Generals Office to conduct a sweeping review of thousands of cases from between 1973 and 1988, Haynesworths among them. "[16], Haynesworth was only the second convict of nearly 200 such cases to be exonerated without the support of DNA evidence. [9] He was welcomed by his mother and sisters, along with other family members. Unfortunately, not much is known about Thomas Haynesworth whereabouts today. He was released from prison on March 21, 2011, on parole and was not fully exonerated until December that year. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. He was identified by one of the victims, who saw him walking down the street and believed he matched her memory of what the attacker looked like, according to The Innocence Project. Thomas Haynesworth was arrested aged 18 and convicted of four violent rapes. Nov 25, 2021 01:00 P.M. American Actor Richard Thomas has not had it so easy in his marriages. But whether Thomas and Jessica Forrester are now married or not has not yet been officially confirmed. At least ten young women reported they were attacked by a young black man who referred to himself as the Black Ninja. Tiger King: Who is Jeff Lowe? On January 3, 1984, a 20-year-old woman was raped at knifepoint near the daycare center where she worked. After the Virginia man served nearly 27 years in prison after being convicted of rape,. Although reluctant to meet her at first, when he finally agreed, Burke apologised for her role in the prosecution. He was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, and the Gospel of John mentions quite a lot about him. It's justice. Thomas Haynesworths case is one of many featured in Netflixs documentary series, and appears in episode six. The Innocence Project estimates that will amount to $37,000 [29,956.60] for each year Haynesworth spent in prison, which falls short of the $50,000 [40,481.90] per-year federal standard. Haynesworth received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty. Although Marlo did not have kids of her own, she helped raise Phil's five children from a previous marriage. Thomas also has a son, Jamal (b. Thomas Haynesworths case is one of many featured in Netflixs documentary series, and appears in episode six. Thomas was married to Gloria Thomas. In 2010, Commonwealths attorneys Michael Herring and Wade Kizer of Richmond and Henrico counties, respectively, brought the case to the attention of Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, a former state senator. In The Innocence Files, he reveals that initially tipped off police about Davis and the man's limp that connected him to other cases. This is less than the federal standard. They said that the law did not allow for writs of innocence in such cases, rendering them "powerless to act".[2]. He was cleared of one of the rapes and the charges were dropped against him in another case. Naturally, rapes that targeted the same victim demographic and followed the same pattern persisted even after his arrest and conviction. In fact, the two talk every day and advocate together for victims who misidentify their attackers. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. "[12], Haynesworth continued working in Cuccinelli's office, and planned to open his own auto repair business. He walked out of the prison, Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Virginia, around 11 am, carrying all his belongings (a television and a single garbage bag with the rest of his belongings). He played college football at the University of Tennessee and was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. From January 3 until February 1, four more white women were victims of similar rapes or attempted rapes and all five women described a similar attacker. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). On January 27, a woman was approached outside her home by a man demanding money and sex; she locked herself inside and called the police while the man fled. The case was argued before a three-member panel of the Court of Appeals on March 30, 2011, and then before the full Court of Appeals on September 27, 2011. He said the only form of conclusive proof is DNA. Semen collected from the first attack implicated the neighbor and ruled out Haynesworth. He was sentenced to a total of 84 years in prison. [2] On December 19, 1984, Leon Davis, who resembled Haynesworth, had the same blood type, and lived nearby, was arrested and charged with a dozen rapes during the nine months after Haynesworth's arrest. In a 2018 interview, Haynesworth said that despite everything that had happened, he doesn't hold any grudges against the woman who misidentified him. Now his story, and many others, are featured in Netflix's Keith Harward spent 33 years in prison for a crime . His loyalty was evident by how he encouraged his fellow apostles to accompany Jesus on his visit Lazarus (after his death). The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. But while the rapes promptly stopped after Davis' arrest, authorities still believed that both Davis and Haynesworth were the attackers. Thomas Haynesworth has a net worth of $5.00 million (Estimated) which he earned from his occupation as man convicted and later exonerated of four charges of rape. Thomas Haynesworth was arrested and sent to prison for rape and various degrees of sexual assault that included attempted abduction. Today we got justice. At the time of his release from prison, he was 46-years-old. "No amount of money can bring back the 27 years.". New true-crime documentary series The Innocence Files dropped on Netflix earlier this month. [3] Haynesworth was identified in a police lineup by all four other women. We pray that this will allow Thomas a new beginning to pursue the dreams he has been waiting almost three decades to fulfill. It's a real wake-up call. Haynesworth continued working in Cuccinellis office, and planned to open his own auto repair business. Haynesworth was convicted in three of the four trials, and sentenced to 10 years, 36 years, and 28 years in prison, respectively, for a total of 84 years in prison. Haynesworth was identified in a police lineup by all four other women. He is believed to have attacked more than a dozen women, who were all of the same demographic and similar pattern to Haynesworths victims. Davis was later convicted of several rape charges and sentenced to multiple life terms in jail. He had been convicted of multiple counts of rape in the winter of 1984 and was sentenced to 74 years in prison, crimes which he did not commit. On December 25, 1871, Edison married 16-year-old Mary Stilwell (1855-1884), whom he had met two months earlier; she was an employee at one of his shops. Help us advocate for the innocent by sharing cases from the Innocence Project. Thomas Haynesworth after his release from prison. Under the legislation, Haynesworth was to receive an initial lump sum of $215,036, and $759,232 to be paid in an annuity over 15 years. [1], Cuccinelli began examining the case, covering a wall in his office with evidence. (DNA for another case in which Haynesworth was suspected, but not charged, was tested and it also implicated Davis.) Thomas Haynesworth was identified by a series of eyewitness, who all misidentified him in similarly biased and problematic lineups. [2] On January 27, a woman was approached outside her home by a man demanding money and sex; she locked herself inside and called the police while the man fled. Haynesworth was wrongfully convicted of several crimes when he was just 18 years old.