Convicting the Innocent
DNA Exonerations Database

Maurice Patterson

First Name Maurice
Last NamePatterson
Year of Conviction2003
Year of Exoneration2010
Testing inculpated culpritCold Hit
State of ConvictionIllinois
Trial, Bench Trial, or Guilty PleaTrial
Type of CrimeMurder
Death SentenceNo
Gender of ExonereeMale
Race of exonereeBlack
JuvenileNo
Did the defendant testify at trial?No
Types of evidence at trial
  • DNA excluded
  • Eyewitness
  • Forensic Evidence
Type of Forensic Evidence
  • DNA
Types of Flawed Forensics
  • Excluded
  • Not Disclosed
Brief Quote / Description of Testimony

DNA testing on knife excluded defendant, but the fact that this was probative, since the victim’s blood had also been identified on the knife, was not disclosed to the defense

Identity of eyewitness
  • Non-victim
Multiple eyewitnesses4
Highest level reachedNR