Convicting the Innocent
DNA Exonerations Database

Keith Turner

First Name Keith
Last NameTurner
Year of Conviction1983
Year of Exoneration2005
State of ConvictionTexas
Trial, Bench Trial, or Guilty PleaTrial
Type of CrimeRape
Death SentenceNo
Gender of ExonereeMale
Race of exonereeBlack
JuvenileNo
Type of Innocence Defense
  • Alibi
  • Third Party Guilt
Description / Quotes from Testimony Concerning Defense

● Three witnesses testified that defendant was with them watching a football game when the crime occurred

Did the defendant testify at trial?Yes
Quotes from Exoneree Testimony

“Q: Keith, have you ever been anyplace, anywhere near Belmont Street where a washateria is located? A: No, sir. Q: Have you ever been around a person that you would know to be the person by the name of [the victim]? A: No. Q: That you are aware of? A: No, sir." . . . Q: Would you tell this jury whether or not you raped [the victim]? A: No, I didn’t. I wasn’t there. I didn’t do that. I don’t have to, and I – you know, I have a mother and a sister, and I have practically I whole lot of ladies in my family.”

Types of evidence at trial
  • Eyewitness
  • Forensic Evidence
Type of Forensic Evidence
  • Serology
Types of Flawed Forensics
  • Invalid
Reason why invalid(1) Masking
Brief Quote / Description of Testimony

The analyst excluded non-secretors and testified that 75-80% of the population could have contributed to the sample, when all results were consistent with the victim.

Identity of eyewitness
  • Cross Racial Identification
  • Victim
Lineup Procedures
  • Photo array
Suggestive Procedures

No ● Although transcript suggests that victim not told attacker might not be present – and victim expected attacker to be in line-up

Unreliable Identification?

No ● Although there may have been discrepancies in description – age, height, weight

Quotes from testimony #2

“I described him as about 5-8 or 5-9, about 140 pounds. I said, about, no more than 30 years old, and he was not dark complected.”

Highest level reachedAppeal
Claims Raised During All Appeals and Postconviction
  • Prosecutorial Misconduct
Claims granted, resulting in preexon. reversal
  • Prosecutorial Misconduct
Citations to judicial opinions

Turner v. State, 690 S.W.2d 66, (Tex. Ct. App. 5 Dist. 1985)
Turner v. State, 719 S.W.2d 190, (Tex. Cr. App. 1986)
Turner v. State, 2004 WL 1691394 (Tex. App.‐Dallas 2004)