At least ten young women reported they were attacked by a young black man who referred to himself as the "Black Ninja". The Richmond and Henrico Commonwealths Attorneys conducted an extensive investigation and eventually concluded that Davis, not Haynesworth, was responsible for all of the crimes attributed to Haynesworth. In a 2018 interview, Haynesworth said that despite everything that had happened, he doesn't hold any grudges against the woman who misidentified him. In 2005, Virginia's governor at the time Mark Warner found biological evidence that proved Haynesworth was not a match to the attacker in two of the rapes he was convicted for. I'm just happy with where I am in my life," he shared. Haynesworth received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty. Haynesworth was identified in a police lineup by all four other women. Haynesworth also gives talks to at-risk youth and lobbies for justice reform. The duo told the audience about their emotional first encounter after Haynesworths release from prison. GREENVILLE, S.C. . While the petition was pending before the Court of Appeals, Governor Bob McDonnell asked the state parole board to reconsider Haynesworths request for parole, which had been denied repeatedly. Over the course of four weeks in the winter of 1984, five women were assaulted in a series of attacks in and around the East End neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia. We pray that this will allow Thomas a new beginning to pursue the dreams he has been waiting almost three decades to fulfill. For example, Burkeidentified Haynesworth in a picture lineup, but only after the police revealed that they had arrested one of the individuals. However, it was found that the victims had identified the wrong man. He received a 74-year sentence following his conviction on two counts of rape, and spent 27 years in prison before DNA evidence finally exonerated him. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Thomas Haynesworth was an 18-year-old with no criminal record when he was mistakenly identified as a man who had attacked five women in Richmond, Virginia in 1984. "It just crushes you.". [1], Cuccinelli, the local prosecutors, and Haynesworth's lawyers petitioned the Court of Appeals of Virginia to grant a writ of innocence in the remaining two cases. Thus, by the time Davis was caught, no one bothered to revisit the crimes for which Haynesworth had been charged. He was sentenced to a total of 84 years in prison. That moment finally came nearly nine months after his release. Appearing alongside Cuccinelli and his attorneys at an emotional news conference following the ruling, Haynesworth said, It's a blessing. Shortly after, in 2013, Kim filed for divorce . He is seen as one of the most successful man convicted and later exonerated of four charges of rape of all times. Now a free man, Haynesworth was right all along about his originaltheory about Richmond's serial rapist. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. The Innocence Project estimates that his payment will be approximately $37,000 for each year Haynesworth spent in prison. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. Guards awakened him around 1 am ET to inform him of his release, and other inmates gave him a birthday card to take home. In 2010, Commonwealths attorneys Michael Herring and Wade Kizer of Richmond and Henrico counties, respectively, brought the case to the attention of Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, a former state senator. Over the next month, from January 3 to February 1, four more white women were the victims of rapes or attempted rapes within a one-mile radius of the first rape by a man fitting the same description. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Temi likes Rihanna, the StairMaster, and tacos. The court asked for further briefs from the parties to discuss whether the exonerating evidence should be "conclusive". Tracing the cases of eight wrongfully convicted men and the incredible work that The Innocence Project put in to exonerate them, The Innocence Files is a breathtaking look at the ways in which the justice system fails so many innocent people. Information about Thomas Ainswoth begins with family lore that he was born in South Carolina around 1775. served in the Spanish American War as Thomas Hainsworth, married Sarah Finch believed to be daughter of Edward and Martha Finch. ", In 2011, she was horrified to learn that the man convicted of her assault nearly three decades before was actually innocent. On January 21, an 18-year-old woman was sodomized at knifepoint near a grocery store. Nevertheless, Haynesworth was convicted of two of the rapes and one attempted robbery and abduction. Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), author of the Declaration of Independence and the third U.S. president, was a leading figure in America's early development. (Charges were dropped in the January 27 attack, despite the victim of that attack having been the first victim to identify him. In 2002, voters passed a referendum to allow DNA evidence to be presented by convicted felons after their convictions - and after the 21-day period following conviction that was previously allowed in the law. The evidence used at the trial was based on victims' eyewitness accounts. September 26, 2019 in MAIP News Thomas Haynesworth was an 18-year-old with no criminal record when he was mistakenly identified as a man who had attacked five women in Richmond, Virginia in 1984. Haynesworth maintained his innocence throughout the years of incarceration. Hardy was the eldest of the four children of Thomas Hardy, a stonemason and jobbing builder, and his wife, Jemima (ne Hand). What happened to Thomas Haynesworth, a subject in Netflix documentaryThe Innocence Files? "No amount of money can bring back the 27 years.". Thomas Haynesworth Married. In a 2018 interview, Haynesworth said that despite everything that had happened, he doesn't hold any grudges against the woman who misidentified him. [7], (Note: Convicted felons are prohibited from voting in Virginia, even after they serve their sentences and complete parole or probation. Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from the Innocence Project: On January 3, 1984, a 20-year-old white woman was raped at knifepoint in a day-care center in Richmonds East End by a young black male. The couple adopted his grandnephew Mark in 1997. Gabriel Fernandez: Is Pearl Fernandez still in prison? The Innocence Files on Netflix deconstructs the timeline of events, and shows how the unreliability of human memories affected the case. (While serving in the Virginia Senate, Ken Cuccinelli, who was State Attorney General when Haynesworth was seeking exoneration, had voted for an earlier version of this law, but it failed. Thomas Haynesworth, VA: 27 years, $1 million and Attorney General's Office job offer (last known position is Deputy of Operations). Franky Carrillo Was Exonerated After Serving 20 Years Behind Bars, Chester Hollman III Wrongfully Served 28 Years Behind Bars, On 'The Innocence Files,' Discredited Dentist Michael West Sticks to His Guns. "[10], Following the Virginia Supreme Court writ of innocence and Haynesworth's petition for writs in the other two cases, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell asked the state's parole board to review Haynesworth's case. I'm holding him, but it's still hard to believe. They both spoke about their experiences together in April 2019 at the Institute for Actual Innocence within University of Richmonds T. C. Williams School of Law. ", Haynesworths grace-filled response to the settlement surprised those who had followed his lengthy ordeal. I am very happy. ADVERTISEMENT At his trial, the eyewitness testimony of the victims was given more importance than any actual hard evidence from the case, or rather, of the lack thereof. The Innocence Files: Who is Levon Brooks? The Innocence Files released on Netflix in April 2020. Thomas confirmed he's getting married on Twitter on Tuesday, October 13. Where is Dr West now? While there was no evidence that placed Haynesworth at any of the crime scenes, he was convicted based on the testimony of Janet Burke, one of the victims. "But you just held on to the thought that justice would come to light, and that the person who had attacked me would be found, would be prosecuted. Netflixs new true crime series is as infuriating as it is heartbreaking. [2] On January 30, an 18-year-old woman was abducted, raped, and sodomized in nearby Henrico County, within blocks of the other attacks. The Innocence Project estimates that his payment will be approximately $37,000 for each year Haynesworth spent in prison. The Innocence Project estimates that will amount to $37,000 [29,956.60] for each year Haynesworth spent in prison, which falls short of the $50,000 [40,481.90] per-year federal standard. "[9], Despite his release, Haynesworth was dogged by the convictions for the two remaining cases; as new physical evidence was unavailable, these remained on his record. In 2005, five wrongfully convicted men were exonerated in Virginia. For other inquiries Contact Us. 'The Innocence Files' Shines a Light on Keith Harward's Wrongful Conviction, Franky Carrillo Was Exonerated After Serving 20 Years Behind Bars. He was then sentenced to 84 years in prison. Thomas Haynesworth (born March 21, 1965) is an African-American man from Richmond, Virginia, who served 27 years in state prison as a result of four wrongful convictions for crimes for which he was exonerated in 2011. Advertisement Richard Thomas was born on June 13, 1951. From there,The Innocence Files breaks down the cross-race effect, or how people from difference races perceive faces differently, evidenced by variouswhite interviewees who believe that Haynesworth and original suspect Leon Davis look similar, in contrast toAfrican-American interviewees whopoint outthe facial differences. He was convicted of four violent rapes in the East End of the city. Where Is 'The Innocence Files' Subject Kenneth Wyniemko Today? All Rights Reserved. Naturally, rapes that targeted the same victim demographic and followed the same pattern persisted even after his arrest and conviction. No physical evidence could be found for the other two cases, so the state prosecutors gave Haynesworth two polygraph tests, which he passed. Unlike the previous five episodes of The Innocence Files, how much Haynesworth received in compensation from was not revealed. At the age of 73, Hardy married a 35-year-old Florence Dugdale in 1914 His second marriage came two years after the death of first wife, Emma Gifford Newspapers ridiculed the 38-year age . At the time, DNA evidence was not as advanced as it is today, so the rape kit used by the women following the attacks was not taken for a DNA comparison. Innocence Files: What Happened To Thomas Haynesworth, Innocence Files: What Happened To Franky Carrillo, Innocence Files: What Happened To Kennedy Brewer, Criminal Minds: Evolution May Have Finally Set Up Spencer Reid's Return, 7 Brutal Last Of Us Show Moments Video Game Fans Are Dreading Most, Happy Days' Original Title Would've Killed The Classic Show. After further DNA testing and an extensive investigation proved that Davis was behind all the rapes for which Haynesworth had been convicted, one would think Haynesworth would be released from prison. Thomas Haynesworth after his release from prison. Thomas Baker Haynsworth was born on month day 1869, at birth place, South Carolina, to Moses Sanders Haynsworth and Belva McCall BESSIE Haynsworth. Davis was later convicted of several rape charges and sentenced to multiple life terms in jail. As seen in The Innocence Files on Netflix, Haynesworth had met with Burke on several occasions and they are now good friends. Haynesworth was not permitted to attend the funeral. Yes, there is a lot of hula-hoop that occurred, when he changed his name. And I can finally vote. ), "Thomas Haynesworth fully exonerated by Va. appeals court", "Man freed after 27 years in prison for crimes he didn't commit", "Cleared of Rape but Lacking Full Exoneration", "Cuccinelli Announces Exoneration of Haynesworth", "Va. court exonerates wrongly convicted man in rapes", McDonnell signs bill giving $1 million to Haynesworth, "Statement of Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli on Thomas Haynesworth's state compensation for wrongful incarceration", "McDonnell signs bill giving Thomas Haynesworth $1M", Cuccinelli: Va. law should help clear names of wrongly convicted, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thomas_Haynesworth&oldid=1030418322, This page was last edited on 25 June 2021, at 19:53. Personal touch and engage with his followers. Seated next to her was Haynesworth. I'm just happy with where I am in my life. He was sentenced to a total of 84 years in prison. The burning of coal and oil have saved inestimable amounts of time and labor while substantially raising living standards around the world. On January 3, 1984, a 20-year-old woman was raped at knifepoint near the daycare center where she worked. The television personality married Cooney in 1958. Haynesworth maintained his innocence throughout the years of incarceration. After the test, the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project began advocating for Haynesworth. You just want your name restored. They had three children: Marion Estelle Edison (1873-1965), nicknamed "Dot" Thomas Alva Edison, Jr. (1876-1935), nicknamed "Dash" Police originally suspected that Davis criminal activity began in April 1984, two to three months after the crimes were committed for which Haynesworth was convicted. Deanne Bray-Kotsur is an actress who is perhaps most recognized for her lead role in Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye. However, as Haynesworths cases had been technically solved in the eyes of the system by the time Davis was convinced, Haynesworth case was not revisited. Thomas is probably the most famous person who has talked about living in the UK with HIV. He was exonerated after 27 years in prison. [1]) In 2005, five wrongfully convicted men were exonerated in Virginia. However, his advice fell on deaf ears. After Haynesworth's exoneration, he received a$1,075,178 compensation package from the State of Virginia. Thomas Haynesworth was identified by a series of eyewitness, who all misidentified him in similarly biased and problematic lineups. Episode six of The Innocence Files explains how victims and witnesses can easily misidentify the accused and highlight the risks of relying on eye witness testimony. Alfred Dewayne Brown, TX: 12 years, $2 million compensation DENIED by Texas. In 2009, new state laws and procedures allowed for DNA testing, which was not available in the 1980s. [1] Numerous persons were serving time who had not been able to use DNA in their trials. We want to inform you that, as per some theories, he changed his name, when he married Jessica Forrester. The Innocence Files: Who is Doctor Michael West? Post-Conviction His breakout role was playing private investigator Thomas Magnum in the television series Magnum, P.I. Offers may be subject to change without notice. While walking, he was spotted by a woman who'd recently been the victim of an. On March 21, 2011 (his 46th birthday), Haynesworth was granted parole after semen recovered from one of his supposed victims was retested and matched to serial rapist Leon Davis who is currently serving multiple life sentences for various crimes. Post-Conviction his breakout role was playing private investigator Thomas Magnum in the January 27 attack, the. Were Serving did thomas haynesworth get married who had not been able to use DNA in their trials person who has about! 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