First Name | Rickey |
Last Name | Johnson |
Year of Conviction | 1983 |
Year of Exoneration | 2008 |
Testing inculpated culprit | Cold Hit |
State of Conviction | Louisiana |
Trial, Bench Trial, or Guilty Plea | Trial |
Type of Crime | Rape |
Death Sentence | No |
Life / LWOP sentence | Life |
Gender of Exoneree | Male |
Race of exoneree | Black |
Juvenile | No |
Type of Innocence Defense |
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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 |
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Type of Forensic Evidence |
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Types of Flawed Forensics |
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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 |
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Lineup Procedures |
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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 reached | Appeal |
Claims Raised During All Appeals and Postconviction |
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Harmless Error Rulings |
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Citations to judicial opinions | State v. Johnson, 443 So. 2d 766 (La. App. 3 Cir. 1983) |