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In Prison For Murder. He Was Innocent
Episode 647
In Prison for Murder, He Was Innocent, Cleared by DNA: An Amazing Story of Resilience. He was cleared by DNA. His journey is one of unimaginable hardship and extraordinary resilience. Wrongfully imprisoned at the age of 16 for a crime he didn’t commit, Jeffrey Deskovic spent 16 years behind bars for the brutal rape and murder of a high school classmate. In November 2006, his conviction was finally overturned, thanks to DNA evidence that not only proved his innocence but also identified the real perpetrator. Follow the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and most all social media platforms.
The Crime That Shattered Lives
On November 15, 1989, a 15-year-old girl from Peekskill, New York, vanished after school. Her body was discovered two days later, naked and brutally beaten, with clear signs of rape. The community was devastated, and the police were under intense pressure to find the perpetrator. Jeffrey Deskovic, a 16-year-old classmate of the victim, became the prime suspect due to his emotional response to her death. Despite his innocence, he states that the police coerced him into confessing to the crime after hours of intense interrogation. His story is available as a free podcast available on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many other podcast platforms.
A Confession Coerced
Deskovic’s confession was a result of relentless pressure from law enforcement. Over the course of several interrogations, he was subjected to a polygraph test in a small room, deprived of food, and isolated without legal representation. Exhausted and scared, Deskovic eventually broke down and confessed, despite knowing he was innocent. His alleged confession was the cornerstone of the prosecution’s case, even though DNA evidence from the crime scene did not match his DNA. In Prison for Murder, He Was Innocent, An Amazing Story of Resilience.
The Injustice of the Trial
In January 1991, despite the DNA evidence that excluded him as the source of the semen found on the victim, Jeffrey Deskovic was convicted of first-degree rape and second-degree murder. The prosecution argued that the semen belonged to a consensual partner and that Deskovic killed the victim in a fit of jealousy. The jury believed the coerced confession over the scientific evidence, leading to his wrongful conviction.
Exoneration Through DNA
In 2006, the Innocence Project took on Deskovic’s case, re-examining the DNA evidence with advanced technology. The results pointed to to Steven Cunningham, a convicted murderer already serving time for another crime. On September 20, 2006, Deskovic was released from prison, and his conviction was overturned. The nightmare was finally over, but the scars of his wrongful imprisonment would last a lifetime. Be sure to follow the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Newsbreak and Medium and numerous other social media platforms.
A Life Dedicated to Justice
Since his exoneration, Jeffrey Deskovic has become a powerful advocate for the wrongfully convicted. He used $1.5 million of his compensation to establish The Deskovic Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to exonerating the innocent and preventing wrongful convictions. The Foundation has already exonerated five people and helped free eight others, making a significant impact in the fight for justice. In Prison for Murder, He Was Innocent, Cleared by DNA: An Amazin
Published on 1 year, 4 months ago