| First Name | David |
| Last Name | Bryson |
| Year of Conviction | 1983 |
| Year of Exoneration | 2003 |
| State of Conviction | Oklahoma |
| Trial, Bench Trial, or Guilty Plea | Trial |
| Type of Crime | Rape |
| Death Sentence | No |
| Gender of Exoneree | Male |
| Race of exoneree | White |
| Juvenile | No |
| Type of Innocence Defense |
|
| Description / Quotes from Testimony Concerning Defense | ● Witness testified that defendant attended his class, far from the crime scene, beginning about 30 minutes after completion of the crime, and that defendant’s behavior and appearance was in all respects normal ● Defendant’s father and mother both testified that defendant was at home at the time of the crime |
| Did the defendant testify at trial? | Yes |
| Quotes from Exoneree Testimony | When asked if he kidnapped, raped, and sodomized victim, defendant testified “No.” |
| Types of evidence at trial |
|
| Type of Forensic Evidence |
|
| Types of Flawed Forensics |
|
| Reason why invalid | (2) Failure to exclude, (4) non-numerical probability statement. |
| Brief Quote / Description of Testimony | The analyst testified that as to the hair comparison, “it would be impossible not to be able to distinguish hairs from two different individuals.” As to serology, although A blood group substances were found, which were inconsistent with the victim and defendant, yet the analyst did not exclude. DNA testing was not conducted at the time of trial, because the analyst had represented that the relevant evidence had been destroyed. |
| Identity of eyewitness |
|
| Multiple eyewitnesses | 2 |
| Lineup Procedures |
|
| Suggestive Procedures | Yes ● Suggestive remarks – told person identified was in custody ● Eyewitness not told attacker might not be in line-up |
| Quotes from testimony #1 | "Q: Do you remember making the following statements?…’Did you know they had a person in custody when you got the phone call to inquire about the photographs? Answer: Yes.’ Do you remember making that? A: I don’t remember what I said. Q: Okay, and then the next question. ‘How did you know that? Answer: Because they told me.’ Do you remember making that answer in response to that question? A: Well, I just don’t remember…" |
| Unreliable Identification? | No ● Discrepancies in description – facial hair and glasses |
| Quotes from testimony #2 | "Q: So there was no distinct mustache? It was just as if a man had let his beard grow without a razor touching it for two or three days? A: That’s what it appeared to me. Q: Now during this time, you were not wearing your contacts were you? A: No, I wasn’t. |
| Highest level reached | Appeal |
| Claims Raised During All Appeals and Postconviction |
|
| Harmless Error Rulings |
|
| Citations to judicial opinions | Bryson v. State, 711 P.2d 932 (Okl.Cr.,1985) |