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Wrongful Conviction

Police & Fire
Philadelphia Detective Who Beat False Murder Confession Out Of Innocent Man Sentenced Philadelphia Detective Who Beat False Murder Confession Out Of Innocent Man Sentenced
Philadelphia Detective Who Beat False Murder Confession Out Of Innocent Man Sentenced A former Philadelphia homicide detective has been sentenced to up to 64 months in prison for assaulting a suspect into falsely confessing to murder, then lying about it in court, authorities announced. James Pitts, 55, was sentenced to 32 to 64 months in a Pennsylvania state correctional facility after being convicted of two felony counts of perjury and three counts of obstructing administration of law, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office confirmed on Tuesday, Feb. 11. Pitts was found guilty in July 2024 for his violent 2010 interrogation of Obina Onyiah, who ultimately …

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by Jillian Pikora
News
Man Who Raped, Murdered 85-Year-Old Relative Not Sex Offender Man Who Raped, Murdered 85-Year-Old Relative Not Sex Offender
Man Who Raped, Murdered 85-Year-Old Relative Not Sex Offender Nearly 35 years after then-24-year-old Christopher Joseph Larry Speelman raped and murdered his 85-year-old relative, he has finally been sentenced— but he's not a sex offender, according to the court.  Now, 59, Speelman has been sentenced to spend the next 25 to 50 years in prison by Judge Thomas Campbell after pleading guilty to murder in the third degree, burglary, and a no contest to rape, according to Adams County District Attorney Brian Sinnett. Speelman confessed raping and then smothering Edna Laughman with a pillow at her home in the 1500 block of Carlisle Pike, Oxford Townsh…

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by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
Philadelphia Man Freed From Life Sentence, Witness Bribed With Sex For Lies Philadelphia Man Freed From Life Sentence, Witness Bribed With Sex For Lies
Philadelphia Man Freed From Life Sentence, Witness Bribed With Sex For Lies A Philadelphia inmate who served 37 years in state prison walked out of the facility a free man on Tuesday after a federal court tossed his 1984 murder conviction. Willie Stokes, 61, was sentenced to life behind bars after police bribed a witness in his case -- Franklin Lee with -- sex, drugs, and a light sentence in exchange for false testimony in the 1980 case, officials said. A hug from his mom and a corned beef hoagie were what he looked forward to getting most, the Associated Press reports. Lee was being held on unrelated rape and murder charges at the time, and said he "felt weak and …

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by Nicole Acosta