Convicting the Innocent
DNA Exonerations Database

Rickey Johnson

First NameRickey
Last NameJohnson
Year of Conviction1983
Year of Exoneration2008
Testing inculpated culpritCold Hit
State of ConvictionLouisiana
Trial, Bench Trial, or Guilty PleaTrial
Type of CrimeRape
Death SentenceNo
Life / LWOP sentenceLife
Gender of ExonereeMale
Race of exonereeBlack
JuvenileNo
Type of Innocence Defense
  • Alibi
Description / Quotes from Testimony Concerning Defense

● Defendant’s mother, brother, and then girlfriend all testified that, on the night of the murder, the defendant was at home because he had an abscessed tooth that caused him a lot of pain.

Did the defendant testify at trial?No
Types of evidence at trial
  • Eyewitness
  • Forensic Evidence
Type of Forensic Evidence
  • Serology
Types of Flawed Forensics
  • Valid
Brief Quote / Description of Testimony

Only on cross-examination did the analyst testify what the included population was, 35-40 percent of the black male population.

Identity of eyewitness
  • Intraracial Identificaiton
  • Victim
Lineup Procedures
  • Lineup
  • Photo array
Suggestive Procedures

Yes ● Only 3 photos included in array (Subsequent line-up was suppressed where defendant was not advised of right to attorney)

Unreliable Identification?

No ● Discrepancies in description – did not described gold tooth, weight

Quotes from testimony #2

Victim described attacker as “medium build” but agreed that defendant had a small build. Victim did not describe prominent gold tooth.

Highest level reachedAppeal
Claims Raised During All Appeals and Postconviction
  • Motion for DNA Testing
  • Other Sixth Amendment claim
  • Prosecutorial Misconduct
Harmless Error Rulings
  • NP
Citations to judicial opinions

State v. Johnson, 443 So. 2d 766 (La. App. 3 Cir. 1983)

Read more about this exoneration

Previous post
←  Larry Johnson