Top 500 Worst Witness Cases in California

Orange County District Attorney / Sheriff Informant Program (2007–2016)

Between 2007 and 2016, the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) and the Orange County District Attorney's Office systematically and illegally used jailhouse informants to extract statements from defendants who were already represented by attorneys — a direct violation of the Sixth Amendment right to counsel.

• 57+ criminal cases unraveled, including 35 homicide cases, as a result of the illegal informant program.
• How it worked: Deputies would move confidential informants into cells adjacent to targeted defendants. The informants would befriend the defendants, extract incriminating statements, write them down, and pass them to their handlers. Prosecutors then used this testimony at trial — without disclosing the informant's status, criminal history, or the deals they received.
• Exculpatory evidence was routinely withheld from defense attorneys, including information about informant benefits, prior informant work, and criminal records.

People v. Scott Dekraai — The Case That Exposed It All

Scott Dekraai committed the deadliest mass shooting in Orange County history in October 2011, killing eight people at a Seal Beach hair salon. The case should have been straightforward. Instead, it exposed a massive unconstitutional informant operation.

• Fernando Perez, a confidential informant, was deliberately moved into the cell adjacent to Dekraai. Perez befriended Dekraai and extracted incriminating statements days after the arrest.
• Defense attorney Scott Sanders uncovered the scheme and revealed that prosecutors made a "deliberate choice not to find out the criminal and informant history" of Perez.
• The misconduct was so severe that the OCDA was disqualified from seeking the death penalty. Dekraai pleaded guilty and received eight consecutive life sentences.
• The OCDA's own administrative investigation later concluded that prosecutors exhibited "prosecutorial misconduct and malpractice" in the case.
• In October 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice issued findings confirming unconstitutional practices. A reform agreement with OCSD was signed in January 2025.

Informant: Fernando Perez — Mexican Mafia Leader Turned Snitch

Fernando Perez was a former Mexican Mafia leader and third-striker facing possible life in prison who became one of the most prolific informants in the OC scandal.

• Perez was deliberately moved into the cell adjacent to Scott Dekraai after the Seal Beach massacre to extract incriminating statements.
• He also elicited a confession from Isaac Palacios and extracted incriminating statements from Daniel Wozniak during dayroom interactions in Module L-20.
• Perez worked as an informant starting in 2010, receiving reduced charges and favorable treatment in exchange for his cooperation.
• Prosecutors made a "deliberate choice not to find out the criminal and informant history" of Perez before using his testimony.

Informant: Oscar Moriel — Serial Jailhouse Informant

Oscar Moriel was another prolific informant whose work was central to the scandal. Notes from Moriel to his government handlers revealed the orchestrated nature of the program.

• Moriel secured a confession from Leonel Vega during a dayroom conversation in 2009.
• He was also the key informant in the Randy Adame murder case involving Isaac Palacios.
• OCSD Deputies Bill Grover and Ben Garcia met regularly with Moriel to coordinate informant operations.
• When the scandal broke, prosecutors admitted they "had failed to properly disclose evidence about Moriel in all of the cases in which he participated."

Deputy Seth Tunstall — Orange County Sheriff's Department

• Judge Thomas Goethals singled out Deputy Tunstall for having "either intentionally lied or willfully withheld material evidence" from the court.
• When called to testify, Tunstall invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, refusing to answer even basic questions.
• Tunstall was one of the handlers who coordinated the placement of informants in cells adjacent to targeted defendants.

Deputy Ben Garcia — Orange County Sheriff's Department

• Judge Goethals also found that Deputy Garcia had "either intentionally lied or willfully withheld material evidence."
• Garcia met regularly with informant Oscar Moriel and coordinated informant operations in the jail.
• Like Tunstall, Garcia invoked his Fifth Amendment right when called to testify, refusing to answer questions.

Deputies William Grover & Bryan Larson — Orange County Sheriff's Department

• Both deputies were called to testify about the jailhouse informant program at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.
• Both invoked their Fifth Amendment rights and refused to answer questions about the program.
• Deputy Grover met with informant Oscar Moriel and was involved in coordinating informant activities within the jail.

People v. Henry Rodriguez — Double Murder, Orange County

• Rodriguez was convicted twice for aiding another man in the 1998 double murder of Jeanette Espeleta and her unborn child.
• Prosecutors did not turn over records indicating that a key witness was a veteran jailhouse informant who had gathered evidence in multiple cases.
• The informant was falsely presented as "a fellow inmate who just happened to overhear incriminating statements" rather than a planted operative.
• Rodriguez's case was reopened after the scandal was exposed.

People v. Leonel Vega — Gang Murder, Orange County

• Vega was convicted in 2010 of first-degree murder for a gang shooting and sentenced to life in prison.
• Oscar Moriel, a planted jailhouse informant, secured a confession from Vega during a dayroom conversation in 2009.
• An ex-Santa Ana detective arranged for the informant to press Vega for information while Vega was represented by an attorney — a direct Sixth Amendment violation.
• In February 2015, prosecutors agreed to vacate the murder conviction. Vega pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter for the 2004 killing of rival gang member Giovani Onofre and was sentenced to 15 years.

People v. Isaac Palacios — Gang Murder, Orange County

• Palacios was targeted by informant Fernando Perez, who elicited a confession during dayroom interactions.
• As part of a plea agreement after the scandal, Palacios admitted he shot and killed rival gang member Randy Adame.
• He pled guilty to second-degree murder and was released from custody after receiving credit for time served.

People v. Guy Scott — 1981 Murder, Orange County

One of the longest-serving victims of the OC snitch scandal.

• Guy Scott was convicted of murder in the 1981 killing of Larry Miner. A co-defendant, Robert Neary, received immunity in exchange for testimony against Scott.
• New evidence revealed that Neary lied to increase blame on Scott while downplaying his own role in the killing.
• Critical evidence that would have impeached Neary's testimony was hidden from Scott's lawyers by prosecutors.
• Defense attorney Scott Sanders argued Scott "would have been acquitted 41 years ago" if that evidence had been disclosed.
• In 2025, at age 69, Scott's murder charge was reduced to manslaughter and he was released after 41 years in prison.

People v. Daniel Wozniak — Double Murder, Orange County

• Wozniak was convicted of murdering Samuel E. Herr (whom he decapitated and dismembered) and Juri "Julie" Kibuishi as part of a cover-up plot.
• Informant Fernando Perez was used to extract statements from Wozniak in jail.
• Because Wozniak had already confessed to police, prosecutors argued the informant testimony was "redundant" — but the unconstitutional method of obtaining it remained unchanged.

People v. Joel Avila — Murder, Orange County

• Joel Avila was charged with murder but the case was tainted by the jailhouse informant program.
• He ultimately pled guilty to manslaughter and served only six years in prison — a fraction of the life sentence he originally faced.

People v. Heriberto Calvillo — Murder, Orange County

• Calvillo was interrogated by two jailhouse informants while in custody.
• He initially pled guilty to manslaughter and received 22 years in prison.
• After the scandal was exposed, the manslaughter charge was dismissed entirely. Calvillo ultimately pled to robbery and served only 6 years — a fraction of his original sentence.

People v. Jose Canul — Murder, Orange County

• Canul pled guilty to murder but received life in prison rather than the death penalty enhancements that prosecutors had originally sought.
• The jailhouse informant program's misconduct tainted the prosecution's case and weakened their ability to pursue maximum sentencing.

People v. Joseph Martin Govey — Attempted Murder & Solicitation, Orange County

• Govey faced charges of attempted murder and solicitation of murder.
• Charges were dropped entirely because of issues raised about informant use in his case — the same pattern of constitutional violations seen across the scandal.

People v. Paul Smith — 1988 Cold Case Murder, Orange County

• Paul Smith was convicted of murder in 2010 for the 1988 stabbing death of his childhood friend Robert Haugen.
• Law enforcement illegally used jailhouse informants to bolster the case against Smith.
• The use of informants and their relationship with law enforcement was hidden from the defense.

People v. Paul Gentile Smith — Murder, Orange County, 2010

• Smith was convicted of murder in 2010 in a decades-old case.
• His murder conviction was thrown out in 2021 after evidence emerged that prosecutors concealed evidence and a lead investigator refused to testify.
• The DA's office conceded the defendant should receive a new trial due to its prior team's failure to disclose discovery and agreed not to use evidence obtained through the jailhouse informant program.
• Prosecutor Ebrahim Baytieh, now a judge, was accused in court filings of leading a "criminal conspiracy to cover up police misconduct and withhold evidence" when he was a high-ranking prosecutor.

Thomas Lee Goldstein — Los Angeles County, 1980

• In November 1979, John McGinest was shot and killed in Long Beach. Six eyewitnesses were shown a photo lineup but none could identify the shooter.
• After being shown Goldstein's photo a second time, one witness said it was only "possible" Goldstein was the shooter. Goldstein was white; initial witness descriptions said the shooter was Black or Hispanic.
• The prosecution's case relied heavily on jailhouse informant Edward Fink, who testified Goldstein confessed to the murder in jail. Fink had received a favorable deal from prosecutors — which was not disclosed to the defense.
• Goldstein was convicted and sentenced to 27 years to life.
• In 2004, after 24 years in prison, Goldstein was exonerated. A federal court found the prosecution's failure to disclose the informant deal was a Giglio violation.
• Goldstein sued for wrongful imprisonment. His case went to the U.S. Supreme Court (Van de Kamp v. Goldstein, 2009) on the question of prosecutorial immunity.

Jack Sagin — Santa Clara County, 1986

• Sagin was convicted of the murder of Paula Durocher, largely based on testimony from two jailhouse informants.
• No physical evidence connected Sagin to the crime.
• DNA evidence later showed Sagin's DNA was absent from under the victim's nails and other crime scene evidence.
• After 34 years in prison, the Sixth District Court of Appeal overturned Sagin's conviction based on the DNA evidence and the unreliability of the informant testimony.
• Represented by the Northern California Innocence Project.

Maurice Caldwell — San Francisco County, 1990

• Caldwell was convicted of a 1990 murder in San Francisco based on the testimony of a single eyewitness.
• That witness originally told police the shooters "did not live in the area" and she "did not know their names or nicknames" — then two weeks later picked Caldwell out of a photo lineup.
• Caldwell's conviction was overturned on March 28, 2010 by the Northern California Innocence Project.
• The San Francisco DA dismissed the case and Caldwell was released in 2011 after 21 years in prison.

Joaquin Ciria — San Francisco County, 1990

• Ciria was convicted of a shooting death in San Francisco based on coerced witness testimony and police misconduct.
• An 18-month investigation by SF DA Chesa Boudin's Innocence Commission found "a cascade of errors" in the case, including police coercion of the key witness, who was a teenager at the time.
• New witnesses and evidence were located that undermined the original prosecution.
• A judge overturned Ciria's conviction and the DA dismissed the case in April 2022, after 32 years of wrongful imprisonment.

Bobby Joe Maxwell — Los Angeles County, 1984 (The "Skid Row Stabber")

• Maxwell was convicted in 1984 of murders attributed to the "Skid Row Stabber" who killed 11 homeless men in downtown Los Angeles.
• The trial hinged on testimony from jailhouse informant Sidney Storch, who claimed Maxwell confessed. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals later found Storch to be a "habitual liar" who used newspaper articles to learn case details and then fabricated confessions.
• Prosecutors had made a secret deal with Storch for early release in exchange for testimony — which was never disclosed to the defense or the jury. Storch then testified falsely about the deal.
• After 30+ years in prison, the 9th Circuit overturned Maxwell's conviction and ordered a new trial.
• Maxwell suffered a massive heart attack in 2017 while awaiting retrial and fell into a coma. Prosecutors dropped all charges in 2018. He died without ever being retried.

Barry Williams — Los Angeles County, 1981

• Barry Williams was arrested at age 19 and convicted of two murders. He was sentenced to death and spent 32 years on death row.
• His conviction was based on an unreliable jailhouse snitch and false testimony from witnesses connected to the LAPD's infamous CRASH unit.
• Prosecutors knowingly presented false testimony and withheld exculpatory evidence from the defense.
• U.S. District Judge David Carter vacated the conviction in 2016, finding that prosecutors failed to disclose favorable evidence and allowed witnesses to testify falsely.
• In January 2021, the LA County DA's Office finally dismissed the case. Williams had spent 41 years incarcerated.

John Klene & Eduardo Dumbrique — Los Angeles County, 1997

• Both were convicted as teenagers of a 1997 gang-related murder in Hawthorne and sentenced to life without parole.
• Jailhouse snitch Santo "Payaso" Alvarez was arrested for weapons possession and offered information on the murder in exchange for his release. Alvarez later admitted he was "just trying to talk his way out of jail."
• LASD investigators took Alvarez's word and allegedly fabricated witness statements about Klene and Dumbrique.
• In 2012, a dying man named Landrum admitted under oath that he committed the murder and that Klene and Dumbrique had no involvement.
• Both were exonerated in February 2021 after 23 years. LA County paid $24 million to settle their federal civil rights lawsuit.

Humberto Duran — Los Angeles County, 1993

• Duran was convicted in 1993 of an East Los Angeles murder based on a single eyewitness.
• After more than 30 years behind bars, the witness recanted their testimony.
• Duran was found factually innocent and received a formal apology for his wrongful conviction.

Kevin Green — Orange County, 1980

• In September 1979, Green returned home to find his pregnant wife Dianna unconscious with a severe head injury. Their daughter died in the womb.
• The entire case rested on the testimony of his wife, who had suffered extensive brain damage and amnesia from the attack. There was a complete absence of corroborative evidence.
• Green was convicted in 1980 and sentenced to prison.
• In 1996, DNA database technology matched evidence from the crime scene to serial killer Gerald Parker (the "Bedroom Basher"), who confessed to the attack and five other murders.
• Green was exonerated on June 20, 1996 after 16 years. He was awarded $620,000 in state compensation.

Jason Rivera — San Diego County

• The case against Rivera rested on testimony from one eyewitness who said they heard Rivera yell "blast 'em" right before fatal shots were fired.
• This testimony was critical to establishing a conspiracy to commit murder charge.
• After conviction, another person named Richard admitted to uttering those words and confirmed Rivera had no knowledge a gun was present.
• Rivera was exonerated with help from the California Innocence Project.

Guy Miles — Orange County, 1998

• In June 1998, two men robbed a Fidelity Financial Institution in Fullerton. Miles was convicted based on witness identifications.
• On January 19, 2017, the California Court of Appeal reversed Miles's conviction, finding that new, credible confession evidence would have resulted in a different outcome at trial.
• Represented by the California Innocence Project.

People v. Giovonte Douglas & Cartier Hunter — Oakland, 2011

Two men were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the 2011 murder of Charles Hiawatha Butler in North Oakland, based primarily on the testimony of a single eyewitness.

• Oakland Police Investigator Phong Tran allegedly made secret cash payments totaling approximately $30,000 to witness Aisha Weber before the trial.
• Weber, who was homeless at the time, testified that she witnessed the shooting. In 2021, she recanted, telling defense attorneys: "I was not truthful" — and alleged that Tran pressured her to lie and coached her testimony.
• Douglas spent 9 years in prison before being released in September 2022. Hunter was released in February 2023.
• Investigator Phong Tran was charged with felony perjury, bribery, and witness intimidation by the Alameda County DA's office in April 2023. An internal affairs investigation revealed additional troubling practices at OPD.

The Mechanics of Buying Testimony

• Charge bargaining: A witness facing serious charges agrees to testify for the prosecution in exchange for reduced or dropped charges in their own case.
• Sentence promises: Witnesses already convicted receive reduced sentences, early parole recommendations, or favorable prison transfers.
• Informal benefits: Cash payments, commissary money, phone privileges, cell upgrades, protection — benefits that may never be formally documented.
• Immigration leverage: Non-citizens facing deportation may be offered immigration assistance in exchange for cooperation.
• The core problem: Research shows that quid pro quo dealing between informants and the government is "largely informal, unregulated, and highly secretive" (University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law), making it nearly impossible for defense attorneys to uncover the full scope of deals.

Obie Anthony III — Los Angeles County, 1995

• Anthony was 19 years old when convicted of murder and attempted robbery. No physical evidence connected him to the crime.
• The prosecution's key witness was John Jones, a convicted killer and pimp who ran a house of prostitution near the crime scene.
• Jones perjured himself when he testified he received no benefit for his cooperation. In fact, the DA had granted Jones favorable treatment on a pimping and pandering charge in exchange for his testimony.
• Trial prosecutors failed to inform the court or the defense that Jones had presented perjured testimony — a direct Giglio violation.
• After an 11-day evidentiary hearing, the court vacated Anthony's conviction on September 30, 2011. He was released on October 4, 2011 after 17 years in prison.
• Represented by the Northern California Innocence Project and Loyola's Project for the Innocent.

Horace Roberts — Riverside County, 1999

• Roberts was convicted of the murder of Terry Cheek and sentenced to 15 years to life.
• Riverside officers allegedly "abandoned their role as unbiased investigators, decided first that Plaintiff was the killer, and then manufactured a case against him" — fabricating police reports, witness testimony, and other false evidence.
• The conviction rested on Roberts' watch being found near the victim, but DNA testing revealed the watch did not belong to Roberts.
• Suppressed evidence pointed to the actual killers, Googie Harris Sr. and Joaquin Leal, who were later charged with the murder.
• Roberts was declared factually innocent in October 2018 after 20 years. Riverside County paid $11 million to settle his federal lawsuit.
• Represented by the California Innocence Project.

Michael Hanline — Ventura County, 1978

The longest wrongful imprisonment in California history.

• Hanline was convicted of the 1978 murder of J.T. McGarry and sentenced to life in prison.
• The prosecution's key witness was Hanline's then-girlfriend, Mary Bischoff, who was granted immunity in exchange for her testimony.
• Bischoff testified that Hanline had threatened to "blow [McGarry's] brains out." She later recanted her trial testimony.
• The California Innocence Project discovered that the entire case against Hanline was fabricated and based on Bischoff's testimony.
• DNA testing on crime scene evidence revealed Hanline was not the perpetrator.
• On November 24, 2014, Hanline walked free at age 69 after 36 years — the longest wrongful imprisonment in California history.

Kash Register — Los Angeles County, 1979

• Register was convicted of the 1979 murder of Jack Sasson in West Los Angeles. He was arrested at age 18.
• Key witness Brenda Anderson testified she saw Register at the crime scene.
• Two of Anderson's own sisters later stated that their sibling lied about seeing Register running away from the scene.
• Register was exonerated in November 2013 through the Loyola Law School Project for the Innocent.
• After 34 years of wrongful imprisonment, the city of Los Angeles paid $16.7 million to settle his federal lawsuit.

The Pattern: Prosecution "Victims" with Extensive Records

Across California, prosecution witnesses and alleged victims frequently have criminal histories that undermine their credibility:

• Witnesses with pending charges in the same DA's office that is prosecuting the defendant have an obvious incentive to cooperate — whether or not a formal deal exists.
• Alleged victims with fraud convictions testifying about property crimes, while their own convictions for dishonesty go undisclosed to the jury.
• Cooperating witnesses with violent felony histories presented as credible by the same prosecutors who would normally argue those records show a propensity for dishonesty.
• The double standard: Prosecutors aggressively use a defendant's criminal history against them while simultaneously asking juries to trust witnesses with equal or worse records.

Why This Matters

• Juries rarely hear the full picture. If the defense does not know about a witness's criminal history — or if the judge limits impeachment — the jury evaluates credibility based on incomplete information.
• Brady violations are common. Prosecutors are required to disclose witness criminal histories, but nondisclosure remains one of the most frequently litigated issues in California criminal appeals.
• The fix: Automatic, mandatory disclosure of all prosecution witness criminal records to the defense, with sanctions for nondisclosure — not just case-by-case litigation after conviction.

Herman Atkins — Riverside County, 1988

• In 1986, a woman was raped in a shoe store in Lake Elsinore, California. Herman Atkins had nothing to do with the crime.
• The victim did not identify Atkins until she saw a wanted poster for him on unrelated charges. She was then shown a photo lineup and identified Atkins as her attacker. A witness from the store next door also identified Atkins after seeing the same wanted poster.
• Atkins was convicted in 1988 of robbery, rape, and forcible oral copulation and sentenced to 45 years in prison.
• The Innocence Project took his case in 1993. Six years later, a court finally granted access to evidence for DNA testing. Testing on three areas of the victim's sweater revealed a DNA profile that did not match Atkins.
• Atkins was exonerated in 2000 after 12 years of wrongful imprisonment. He won a $2 million civil settlement against Riverside County.
• Atkins became instrumental in persuading California legislators to raise the maximum compensation for the wrongfully convicted from $10,000 total to $140 per day of wrongful imprisonment.

Maurice Hastings — Los Angeles County, 1988

• Maurice Hastings was convicted of special-circumstance murder in Los Angeles. The DA's office sought the death penalty, but the jury deadlocked. A second jury convicted him in 1988 and he was sentenced to life without parole.
• For decades, Hastings maintained his innocence and requested DNA testing.
• In 2022, after submitting a claim to the LA County DA's Conviction Integrity Unit, DNA testing proved the semen found at the crime scene was not his. He was exonerated after 38 years — one of the longest wrongful imprisonments in California history. Full case page →
• The City of Inglewood agreed to pay $25 million to settle his wrongful conviction lawsuit — believed to be the largest wrongful conviction settlement in California history.

Francisco "Franky" Carrillo — Los Angeles County, 1992

• On January 18, 1991, six teenage boys were standing on a curb in Lynwood, CA when a car drove by and shots were fired, killing Donald Sarpy. Carrillo, then 16, was arrested.
• Police showed one eyewitness a photo of Carrillo, who was a suspect in an unrelated case. That witness identified Carrillo and then told the five other witnesses to identify Carrillo.
• Carrillo was convicted of murder and six counts of attempted murder in 1992 and sentenced to two consecutive life terms.
• In 2011, all of the eyewitnesses recanted their identifications at a hearing. A crime scene reenactment demonstrated it was physically impossible for the witnesses to have seen the perpetrator's face.
• Two other men confessed to the shooting and confirmed Carrillo was not involved.
• After 20 years of wrongful imprisonment, Carrillo was released. He was awarded $683,300 in state compensation and $10.1 million in a federal civil rights settlement with the City of Los Angeles.
• Carrillo was featured in Netflix's The Innocence Files and later ran for a Congressional seat in Los Angeles County.

Luis Vargas — Los Angeles County, 1999

• In early 1998, three women were sexually assaulted in Los Angeles. Vargas was at work during each of the attacks.
• The prosecution's entire case relied on wavering eyewitness identifications from three traumatized victims. Despite obvious problems with the IDs, the defense attorney failed to call an eyewitness identification expert.
• Vargas was convicted and sentenced to 55 years to life.
• DNA testing revealed Vargas did not commit the rapes — and linked the crimes to the "Teardrop Rapist," a serial predator attributed to at least 35 attacks.
• Vargas was exonerated on November 23, 2015 after 16 years in prison. Represented by the California Innocence Project.

Uriah Courtney — San Diego County, 2004

• In 2004, a teenage girl was sexually assaulted in Lemon Grove. The victim noticed a man staring at her from a truck before the attack.
• She assumed the man from the truck attacked her and described her attacker as a white male in his 20s. Based on this assumption, Uriah Courtney was identified.
• The identification process was suggestive and unreliable, yet Courtney was convicted and sentenced to prison.
• DNA testing proved Courtney's innocence and pointed to a third-party suspect.
• In June 2013, all charges were dismissed and Courtney was released after more than 8 years. Represented by the California Innocence Project.

Miguel Solorio — Northern California, 1998

• Solorio was convicted of murder based on faulty eyewitness identification practices and false testimony by law enforcement.
• After 25 years in prison, the Northern California Innocence Project secured a reversal of his conviction.
• Solorio was found factually innocent and released in November 2023.

Timothy Atkins — Los Angeles County, 1987

• At age 17, Atkins was convicted of robbery and murder and sentenced to 32 years to life.
• No physical evidence linked him to the crime. The conviction relied on testimony from witness Denise Powell.
• A law student working for the California Innocence Project tracked Powell down years later. Powell admitted she made up the confession that put Atkins in prison.
• Atkins was exonerated in 2007 after 23 years of wrongful imprisonment.

Arturo Jimenez — Northern California, 1994

• Jimenez was falsely convicted of murder in a 1994 shooting.
• Eyewitness identification was unreliable and key evidence was not properly disclosed to the defense.
• After 26 years in prison, his conviction was overturned with the help of the Northern California Innocence Project.

Lionel Rubalcava — Santa Clara County, 2002

• In April 2002, Raymond Rodriguez was shot in a drive-by in San Jose. In his first police interview, Rodriguez said he did not recognize the shooter and had never seen him before.
• When Rubalcava's mugshot was placed in a photo array, it stood out because it had a different background than the fillers and was the only person resembling the description. Every witness selected Rubalcava based on this suggestive identification procedure.
• The victim later recanted in 2005, saying he had always told police he was unsure and had only said Rubalcava "looked like" the shooter.
• After 17 years in prison, Rubalcava's conviction was reversed in April 2019. San Jose paid a $12 million settlement. Represented by the Northern California Innocence Project.

Albert Johnson — Northern California

• Johnson was accused and convicted of committing two sexual assaults based on eyewitness identification.
• In October 2002, DNA test results revealed Johnson could not have been the perpetrator of at least one of the assaults.
• After 10 years in prison, Johnson was exonerated. Represented by the Northern California Innocence Project.

Domingo Anaya Bustos — Northern California

• Bustos spent 21 years in prison before being exonerated.
• His case involved unreliable witness identification and evidence issues that were eventually demonstrated by the Northern California Innocence Project.

Juan Bautista — Northern California

• Bautista was incorrectly identified as the shooter in an attempted murder case.
• After 12 years in prison, his conviction was overturned. Represented by the Northern California Innocence Project.

Francisco "Franky" Carrillo — Los Angeles County

• Convicted in 1992 based on the testimony of six eyewitnesses to a drive-by shooting in Lynwood, CA.
• One eyewitness was shown a photo by police and told the other five who to identify. All six later recanted their identifications.
• A crime scene reenactment demonstrated it was physically impossible for them to have seen the shooter's face at night from their positions.
• Two other men confessed to the shooting. Carrillo was released in 2011 after 20 years. Awarded $10.1 million.

Giovonte Douglas & Cartier Hunter — Oakland, Alameda County

• Convicted and sentenced to life for a 2011 Oakland murder based on testimony from a single eyewitness, Aisha Weber.
• In 2021, Weber recanted: "I was not truthful." She alleged Oakland police investigator Phong Tran secretly paid her approximately $30,000 and coached her testimony.
• Douglas was released in September 2022 after 9 years. Hunter released in February 2023.
• Officer Tran was charged with felony perjury, bribery, and witness intimidation.

Brian Banks — Los Angeles County, 2002

• Brian Banks was a star high school football player with a scholarship to USC when, at age 16, classmate Wanetta Gibson accused him of rape and kidnapping.
• Facing a possible 41 years to life, Banks accepted a plea deal: 5 years in prison, 5 years of probation, and registration as a sex offender.
• In 2011, Gibson contacted Banks on Facebook and admitted she had fabricated the entire accusation. She was recorded on hidden camera admitting she lied.
• Gibson had earlier received a $1.5 million settlement from the Long Beach Unified School District based on her false claims.
• Banks was exonerated on May 24, 2012. He went on to play briefly in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons.

John Stoll — Kern County, 1985 (Bakersfield "Witch Hunt")

• Stoll was convicted of child molestation in one of the infamous Kern County sex ring prosecutions of the mid-1980s.
• He was convicted solely on testimony of six boys, ages seven to nine. There was no physical evidence. The prosecution never even had the children medically examined.
• Police used highly suggestive questioning techniques on the children. Stoll's own son accused his father only after repeated coercive interviews.
• Four of the boys, now adults, recanted their testimony at an evidentiary hearing. They admitted the stories were lies and that law enforcement, social workers, and prosecutors coerced them into making false allegations.
• Stoll's conviction was overturned and he was freed after 20 years in prison. He was awarded $704,700 in state compensation and $5.5 million from Kern County.

Rafael Madrigal — Los Angeles County, 2000

• Madrigal was arrested in July 2000 for attempted murder in a gang-related drive-by shooting in East Los Angeles, despite an alibi witness placing him at work 30 miles away.
• His defense attorney failed to introduce key evidence, including a recorded phone call in which the actual driver confessed and confirmed Madrigal's innocence.
• After nearly a decade behind bars, a federal judge reversed his conviction.

Ricky Davis — El Dorado County, 2005

• Davis was convicted of second-degree murder in the 1985 stabbing death of newspaper columnist Jane Hylton. The case went cold for 14 years.
• Detectives eventually convinced Davis's housemate, Connie, that she had "repressed memories" of Ricky committing the crime. This testimony was used to convict him.
• DNA evidence proved Davis was not the killer.
• Davis was exonerated and freed after nearly 15 years in prison. Represented by the Northern California Innocence Project.

Officer Rafael Perez — LAPD Rampart CRASH Unit

• Perez became the central figure in exposing the scandal after being caught stealing cocaine from LAPD evidence lockers.
• In exchange for a reduced sentence, Perez admitted to hundreds of instances of perjury, fabrication of evidence, and false arrests over his career.
• He implicated 28 current and former Rampart officers in criminal activities and misconduct.
• Perez admitted to shooting, framing, and testifying against Javier Ovando, an unarmed man left paralyzed by the shooting.

Javier Ovando — Los Angeles, 1996

The single most devastating case of officer perjury in LAPD history.

• On October 12, 1996, officers Rafael Perez and Nino Durden entered 19-year-old Ovando's apartment and shot the unarmed man, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.
• Perez and Durden then planted a gun on Ovando and reported he had fired on them first.
• Both officers testified under oath that Ovando had attacked them. Based on this perjured testimony, Ovando was convicted and sentenced to 23 years in prison — the maximum allowed.
• When Perez cooperated with investigators in 1999, he admitted the shooting was unprovoked and the testimony was entirely fabricated. Ovando was released on September 16, 1999.
• Ovando received a $15 million settlement from the City of Los Angeles — the largest police misconduct settlement in LA history at the time.

People v. Adams, Davalos, J. Alvarez, G. Alvarez & Menendez — Los Angeles

• Anthony Adams, Luis Davalos, Jesse Alvarez, Jorge Alvarez, and Ceaser Menendez were all convicted of manslaughter and each sentenced to 12 years in prison.
• Their convictions were based in part on testimony from Sonya Flores, a former girlfriend of officer Rafael Perez, who provided false testimony at trial.
• All five convictions were overturned after the Rampart scandal exposed the corrupt network of false witnesses connected to Perez.

Ruben Rojas — Los Angeles, Rampart Division

• Rojas was among the first convicts released from prison after the Rampart scandal came to light.
• Officer Rafael Perez framed Rojas on a drug charge, planting evidence and then testifying under oath about the fabricated drug possession.
• Rojas's conviction was overturned after Perez admitted to the frame-up as part of his cooperation agreement.

Alex Umana — Los Angeles, Rampart Division

• Umana was charged with possession of cocaine and went to trial.
• Three officers — Michael Buchanan, Mark Richardson, and Daniel Lujan — falsely testified at his trial.
• Umana was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison based on their perjured testimony.
• His conviction was overturned after the Rampart investigation revealed the officers' pattern of false testimony.

Allan Lobos — Los Angeles, 1996

• Officers allegedly planted a gun on Lobos, a reputed gang member, in April 1996.
• Criminal charges were brought against the involved officers (Harper, Buchanan, Liddy, and Ortiz) for the Lobos frame-up, but all were found not guilty at trial.
• Lobos's conviction, however, was overturned.

Cesar Natividad & Raul Munoz — Los Angeles, 1996

• Officers Buchanan and Liddy were accused of a conspiracy to falsely arrest Natividad and Munoz in July 1996.
• The officers fabricated an alleged assault by the two gang members as justification for the arrest.
• Both convictions were overturned after the Rampart investigation.

Officer Brian Hewitt — LAPD Rampart CRASH Unit (Ismael Jimenez Case)

• On February 26, 1998, officer Hewitt brought Ismael Jimenez, a member of the 18th Street Gang, into the Rampart station for questioning.
• Hewitt beat the handcuffed Jimenez in the chest and stomach until he vomited blood.
• Any statements or evidence obtained from Jimenez under these conditions would be tainted by the coercion.
• Hewitt was eventually fired from the LAPD.

Officer Nino Durden — LAPD Rampart CRASH Unit

• Durden was Rafael Perez's partner in the shooting and framing of Javier Ovando.
• Together, they shot the unarmed 19-year-old, planted a gun on him, and both testified under oath that Ovando had fired on them.
• Durden pled guilty to state and federal charges related to the Ovando shooting and was sentenced to only five years in prison.

Additional Rampart Exonerations — Dozens of Unnamed Defendants

Beyond the individual cases detailed above, the Rampart scandal led to the exoneration of scores of additional defendants whose names are documented in the National Registry of Exonerations:

• Known exonerated defendants include: Juan Rojo, Carlos Romero, Blanca Sahagun, Sergio Salcido, Gene Serrano, Juan Suares, Daniel Tapia, James Thomas, Paul Thompson, Juan Torrecillas, Aristide Vanegas, Gregorio Vasquez, Edward Villanueva, Laura Villatora, Rene Vriones, Mohammed Wesley, Michael Williams, Miguel Yanez, and Rafael Zambrano — among many others.
• Most were convicted of drug offenses, weapons charges, and assaults based on fabricated evidence and perjured officer testimony.
• Rampart exonerations alone account for 25% of all documented California wrongful convictions.

Zavion Johnson — Sacramento County, 2002

The case that exposed the collapse of "Shaken Baby Syndrome" science in California.

• On November 24, 2001, 18-year-old Zavion Johnson was bathing his 4-month-old daughter Nadia when she accidentally slipped from his arms and hit her head on the bathtub. She initially appeared fine but later stopped breathing. Johnson called 911 and performed CPR.
• Medical experts testified that Nadia's injuries — brain swelling, subdural bleeding, and retinal hemorrhages (the "triad") — could only have been caused by violent shaking. Johnson was convicted of murder and sentenced to 25 years to life.
• By 2017, the science had changed. Two of the prosecution's own experts disavowed their trial testimony. Dr. Gregory Reiber, the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy, wrote that his opinion had changed and the injuries "are consistent with the accidental fall in the bathtub described by Zavion Johnson."
• A judge granted habeas corpus relief and overturned the conviction. All charges were dropped in January 2018. Johnson had spent 15 years in prison for an accident.
• The Northern California Innocence Project represented Johnson and his case became a landmark in challenging Shaken Baby Syndrome convictions.

William "Bill" Richards — San Bernardino County, 1993

The bite mark case that changed California law.

• In August 1993, Pamela Richards was murdered in San Bernardino County. Her husband Bill became a suspect.
• After two hung juries failed to convict, prosecutors introduced new evidence in a third trial: forensic dentist Dr. Norman "Skip" Sperber testified that a mark on Pamela's hand matched Bill Richards's teeth.
• Richards was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
• Eleven years later, Dr. Sperber recanted his testimony during an evidentiary hearing. He admitted he had used a distorted photo to make the bite mark overlay exhibit and "drew conclusions that he could no longer support."
• DNA evidence found on the murder weapons and under Pamela's fingernails belonged to an unidentified male — the true perpetrator — not Bill Richards.
• On May 26, 2016, the California Supreme Court unanimously reversed Richards's conviction. Prosecutors dismissed all charges in June 2016. He had spent 23 years in prison.
• Richards was later declared factually innocent by the court.
• Legislative impact: Richards's case led to the passage of SB 1058 (the "Bill Richards Bill"), which provides that expert testimony repudiated by the expert or undermined by advances in science is treated as false evidence for habeas corpus purposes.

Bite Mark Analysis — Debunked as Pseudoscience

• As of 2020, at least 34 convictions based on bite mark evidence have been overturned nationwide.
• The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) concluded that bite mark analysis lacks scientific validity and should not be admitted as evidence.
• The National Academy of Sciences found that "there is no scientific basis for concluding that a particular bite mark can be associated with the dentition of a specific individual."
• Despite being debunked, bite mark evidence has not been universally banned in California courts.

Shaken Baby Syndrome / Abusive Head Trauma — Science in Collapse

• For decades, the presence of a "triad" of symptoms (subdural hematoma, brain swelling, retinal hemorrhages) was treated as definitive proof of violent shaking. Thousands were convicted on this basis.
• Modern biomechanical research has shown that short falls, medical conditions, and birth trauma can produce identical symptoms.
• Multiple experts who previously testified in support of SBS diagnoses have publicly disavowed their prior testimony.
• As NBC News reported in 2025, "experts who once backed 'shaken baby' science now fight to free imprisoned caregivers."

Microscopic Hair Comparison — FBI Admits 96% Error Rate

• In 2015, the FBI admitted that microscopic hair comparison testimony contained errors in at least 90% of cases reviewed in an ongoing audit of thousands of cases.
• In 268 cases where FBI examiners testified to inculpate a defendant, erroneous statements were made in 257 (96%) of them.
• Defendants in at least 35 of these cases received the death penalty, and errors were identified in 33 (94%) of those capital cases. California was among the states with affected death penalty cases.
• The FBI trained hundreds of state and local hair examiners who used the same scientifically flawed language in their own cases — multiplying the damage across the country.

Arson "Science" — Outdated Fire Investigation Methods

• For decades, fire investigators relied on indicators now proven to be scientifically invalid to determine whether a fire was deliberately set.
• "Pour patterns," "crazed glass," and "alligatoring" were treated as proof of arson. Modern fire science has shown these indicators are just as consistent with accidental fires or any fire reaching flashover conditions.
• Chemical testing for accelerants (petroleum distillates) also produced false positives because many household products — including glues, adhesives, and floor coverings — contain the same compounds.
• Multiple people were convicted of arson-murder based on fire investigation methods now known to be pseudoscience.

Kenneth Marsh — San Diego County, 1983

One of California's first overturned Shaken Baby Syndrome convictions.

• In January 1983, 33-month-old Phillip Buell died after falling off a couch and hitting his head on a brick hearth. A San Diego police investigation concluded the death was accidental.
• Despite the police finding, prosecutors called several doctors from Children's Hospital who testified that a short fall could not have caused the fatal injuries and that Marsh must have beaten the child.
• Marsh was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 15 years to life.
• In 2002, the California Innocence Project filed a 180-page habeas petition with declarations from medical experts who concluded much of the medical evidence used to convict Marsh was inaccurate.
• The San Diego DA's own expert re-examined the evidence and could not support the original analysis.
• On August 10, 2004, a Superior Court judge set aside Marsh's conviction and he was released after 21 years. All charges were dropped. He was awarded $756,900 in state compensation.

Clifton Jones — Northern California, SBS Case

• Jones was wrongfully convicted in the death of his infant son based on medical evidence that has since been proven false.
• The prosecution relied on the "triad" of symptoms — subdural hematoma, brain swelling, and retinal hemorrhages — as proof of violent shaking.
• Modern biomechanical research showed these symptoms could result from short falls, medical conditions, and birth trauma.
• Jones was freed after more than 15 years of wrongful incarceration. Represented by the Northern California Innocence Project.

Regi Tanubagijo — Solano County, SBS Case (full case →)

• Tanubagijo was wrongfully incarcerated for 11 years for the death of his infant foster son.
• The conviction was based on Shaken Baby Syndrome medical testimony that has since been undermined by advances in science.
• A Solano County judge reversed and vacated his convictions on May 7, 2025, and Tanubagijo walked out of San Quentin Rehabilitation Center nine days later.
• Represented by the Northern California Innocence Project.

George Souliotes — Stanislaus County, 1997

The California arson case that exposed the collapse of outdated fire investigation science.

• In January 1997, a fire destroyed a rental property owned by Souliotes, killing three people.
• Fire investigators determined the fire was arson based on indicators — such as "pour patterns" — that modern fire science has since discredited.
• Forensic tests found a "medium petroleum distillate" (MPD) at the fire scene and on Souliotes' shoes. But MPDs are now known to exist in many household products including glues and adhesives used in floor coverings and footwear.
• Souliotes' attorneys persuaded the judge of his "actual innocence," arguing his conviction was based on faulty fire science and that no reasonable juror today would convict.
• The State of California conceded it could not prove the fire was deliberately set.
• Souliotes was released on July 3, 2013 after 16 years in prison. Represented by the Northern California Innocence Project.

Glenn Payne — Santa Clara County, Microscopic Hair Case

The first microscopic hair comparison reversal and dismissal in California state court history.

• Payne's conviction relied on testimony from a criminalist who used microscopic hair comparison analysis — a technique the FBI later admitted was scientifically flawed.
• The criminalist who testified at Payne's trial repudiated his own testimony, admitting his analysis was invalid.
• On January 26, 2018, the Santa Clara County Superior Court vacated Payne's conviction and the DA dismissed all charges.
• Payne had spent 15 years in prison. Represented by the Northern California Innocence Project.

Bob Fenenbock — Los Angeles County, 1991

• Fenenbock was convicted of murder based on the testimony of a 9-year-old boy.
• Defense lawyers later established the child had been coached by a therapist and convinced by detectives that Fenenbock was part of a conspiracy to kill the victim.
• After 28 years in prison, his conviction was overturned in 2019. Represented by the Northern California Innocence Project.

Jeremy Puckett — Sacramento County, 2001

• Puckett was jailed on murder and robbery charges in the death of Anthony Galati.
• Sacramento County sheriff's officials relied on a jailhouse informant who was himself worried about being tied to the robbery and murder — giving him a powerful motive to deflect blame.
• After nearly 20 years in prison, Puckett was exonerated and found innocent.

Larry Pohlschneider — Tehama County

• Pohlschneider was convicted of child molestation based on flawed medical evidence.
• The Tehama County Superior Court overturned his conviction after the Northern California Innocence Project demonstrated the medical testimony used at trial was unreliable.
• After nearly 15 years of wrongful imprisonment, all charges were dismissed.

Jimmie Dick — Northern California

• Dick spent 30 years in prison before being exonerated with the help of the Northern California Innocence Project.
• His case involved issues with the reliability of witness testimony and evidence presented at trial.

Kenneth Foley — Northern California

• Foley spent 12 years in prison before being exonerated by the Northern California Innocence Project.
• His conviction was based on evidence and testimony that was later discredited.

Kevin Harper — Northern California

• Harper spent 13 years in prison before being freed by the Northern California Innocence Project.
• His case was one of many where witness testimony or forensic evidence was later shown to be unreliable.

Peter Rose — Northern California

• Rose was wrongfully convicted and spent 10 years in prison.
• The ACLU documented his case as involving significant issues with the evidence and testimony used to convict him.
• Represented by the Northern California Innocence Project.

Suzanne Johnson — San Diego County, 1999

• On June 24, 1997, Johnson called 911 after baby Jasmine, under her care, became limp and struggled to breathe. The infant had fallen from a high chair earlier that day, aggravating a prior head injury. Despite rescue efforts, Jasmine died.
• Five expert witnesses testified that Jasmine's injuries were not accidental, relying on "Shaken Baby Syndrome" diagnosis that has since been debunked.
• Despite a first trial ending in a hung jury, Johnson was convicted at a second trial of assault on a child causing death and sentenced to life in prison.
• Years later, the science of forensic pediatric pathology changed dramatically: the "triad" of symptoms is no longer diagnostic of abuse, and short accidental falls can cause identical injuries.
• On April 3, 2020, Johnson was released after 21 years in prison. Governor Newsom granted clemency. Represented by the California Innocence Project.

Daniel Larsen — Los Angeles County, 1999

• In 1999, two police officers testified they saw Larsen toss a knife under a car in a bar parking lot. Larsen was convicted of possession of a concealed weapon.
• Under California's Three Strikes Law, the minor offense triggered a sentence of 27 years to life.
• Larsen's now-disbarred trial attorney failed to discover nine eyewitnesses — including a former Chief of Police from North Carolina — who saw another man toss the knife. The defense called zero witnesses.
• Federal Magistrate Judge Suzanne Segal found Larsen was "actually innocent" and ordered his release. The 9th Circuit upheld the ruling in 2013.
• Larsen was freed after 13 years. Represented by the California Innocence Project.

JoAnn Parks — Los Angeles County, 1993

• In April 1989, a fire destroyed Parks' home, killing her three children. JoAnn Parks was charged with murder based on an arson determination.
• Fire investigators relied on indicators now proven scientifically invalid — "pour patterns" and "burn indicators" that modern fire science has shown are equally consistent with accidental fires.
• Parks was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole.
• Modern fire science experts reviewed the case and concluded the original arson determination was based on outdated and discredited methodology.
• In 2020, Governor Newsom commuted Parks' sentence. She was released on January 12, 2021 after 29 years. Represented by the California Innocence Project.

Reggie Cole — Los Angeles County, 1994

• In 1994, 18-year-old Reggie Cole was convicted of the murder of Felipe Gonzalez Angeles outside a South Los Angeles brothel. No physical evidence connected him to the crime.
• The prosecution's key witness, John Jones (a convicted pimp), testified he saw Cole shoot the victim. Jones perjured himself by testifying he received no benefit for cooperating — in fact, the DA granted him favorable treatment on a pimping and pandering charge.
• At a 2007 hearing, Jones admitted he had never actually seen the shooter and had relied on descriptions from his daughters.
• Cole's conviction was vacated in April 2009. He was freed after 16 years. Los Angeles paid $5.2 million to settle his federal lawsuit. Represented by the California Innocence Project.

Kimberly Long — Riverside County, 2003

• On October 6, 2003, Kimberly Long returned home to find her boyfriend Oswaldo "Ozzy" Conde murdered. She called 911.
• Police built their case on a witness statement about drop-off time that created a gap in Long's timeline. Her first trial ended in a mistrial with most jurors believing she was innocent. She was convicted at a second trial and sentenced to 15 years to life.
• Forensic pathology evidence proved Conde died long before the alleged drop-off time. Unknown male DNA was found at the crime scene. The victim had a restraining order against his ex-girlfriend who had threatened to "slash throats."
• On April 22, 2021, the Riverside DA dismissed all charges, resulting in Long's full exoneration. Represented by the California Innocence Project.

Kiera Newsome — Los Angeles County, 2003

• In April 2001, Christian Henton was murdered by a single shot. Kiera Newsome was only 17 years old when charged.
• At the time of the murder, Newsome was at school, nearly 10 miles away. Her presence was documented by hourly attendance logs, in-class assignments, and testimony from her teacher. The defense presented all of this at trial.
• Despite this airtight alibi, an eyewitness identified Newsome — even though the witness described the shooter as having a "lazy eye" that Newsome does not have, and another witness identified a completely different person.
• Newsome was convicted and sentenced to 60 years to life. Governor Brown commuted her sentence in 2018. She was freed on April 7, 2020. Represented by the California Innocence Project.

Gerardo Cabanillas — Los Angeles County, 1995

• In 1995, a couple was attacked while sitting in a parked car in South Gate. Police arrested Cabanillas based on a suggestive identification procedure.
• Victims had serious doubts about their identifications but committed only after the detective told them Cabanillas had confessed. In reality, Cabanillas only "confessed" after the detective promised he would get probation and go home if he admitted guilt.
• Police found no physical evidence connecting Cabanillas to the crime.
• DNA testing on the rape kit proved two other people committed the assault.
• On September 26, 2023, a judge found Cabanillas factually innocent and ordered his release after 28 years. Represented by the California Innocence Project.

Rodney Patrick McNeal — San Bernardino County, 1997

• McNeal, a probation officer, was convicted of the 1997 murder of his pregnant wife Debra and sentenced to 30 years to life.
• Phone records and eyewitness testimony proved McNeal was at his office until 12:15 p.m. and arrived home at 12:30 p.m. — just before he called 911. Police arrived at 12:32 p.m. It was physically impossible for him to have committed the crime in that timeframe.
• McNeal's half-brother, Jeffery West, confessed to the murder to two separate witnesses: one described in detail how West beat Debra until unconscious and dragged her to the bathroom.
• Despite the confession and impossibility of the timeline, McNeal spent 25 years in prison before release on October 28, 2022. Represented by the California Innocence Project.

Marco Contreras — Los Angeles County, 1996

• On September 10, 1996, Jose Garcia was shot at a gas station in Compton. A witness across the street heard the shot and saw the victim being chased. She identified the getaway truck's license plate.
• The truck was registered to Marco Contreras. An eyewitness misidentified him as the shooter — despite the fact that Contreras was home sleeping after working a graveyard shift as a security guard.
• Contreras was convicted of attempted murder and robbery and sentenced to life plus seven years.
• The real shooter, Antonio Salgado, shared a "strikingly similar appearance" with Contreras. The DA's Conviction Review Unit found the misidentification. In 2017, Contreras was freed after 20 years.
• Salgado and his accomplice were convicted of the attempted murder in 2019. Represented by the Loyola Project for the Innocent.

Abraham Villalobos — Los Angeles County, 2000

• Villalobos was convicted of a fatal shooting at an apartment complex in Downey, California in September 2000 and sentenced to prison.
• The LA County DA's Conviction Integrity Unit received new evidence pointing to the actual shooter, who confessed his role to a family member.
• The evidence also established that Villalobos was not even at the scene of the shooting.
• After 15 years in custody, Villalobos was granted parole in 2015 but was deported to Mexico because of the conviction.
• On March 6, 2024, Villalobos was declared factually innocent. Represented by the Loyola Project for the Innocent.

Kelvin Fuller — Los Angeles County, 1982

• Fuller was wrongfully convicted of rape, kidnapping, and robbery in Los Angeles and sentenced to prison.
• One of the actual perpetrators confessed and his confession was corroborated by the other three perpetrators, who repeatedly refuted Fuller's involvement over the years.
• On September 25, 2024, a joint habeas petition by the DA's Conviction Integrity Unit and the Loyola Project for the Innocent was granted. Fuller's convictions were vacated, charges dismissed, and he was declared factually innocent.
• Fuller spent 42 years in prison. In February 2025, he was awarded $1,727,380 in compensation.

Ernest Cox — Los Angeles County

• Cox was wrongfully convicted of murder and kidnapping in Los Angeles County.
• His convictions were vacated on October 4, 2024, thanks to advocacy by the Loyola Project for the Innocent.
• Cox was released from prison after serving more than 40 years for a crime he did not commit.

Larry Roberts — California, 1983

• In 1983, Roberts was convicted of the murder of a fellow prisoner and a prison guard at the California Medical Center in Vacaville. He was sentenced to death.
• The only witnesses to the stabbings were fellow prisoners who testified against Roberts.
• A federal court found that prosecutors "suppressed exculpatory evidence, suborned perjury, and presented evidence the prosecutor knew or should have known was false."
• The California Supreme Court overturned one of the convictions. After 41 years, the California AG agreed not to retry him. Roberts became the 200th person exonerated from death row in the United States on July 1, 2024.

Craig Coley — Ventura County, 1978

• On November 11, 1978, Rhonda Wicht and her 4-year-old son Donald were found murdered in their Simi Valley apartment. Coley, Rhonda's ex-boyfriend, was convicted after two trials (the first ended in a hung jury).
• The case relied on unreliable witnesses whose stories changed over time. A neighbor claimed she saw Coley leaving the apartment, but investigators later determined her window position made that physically impossible.
• Three police officers later testified that the original detective had "mishandled the investigation or framed Mr. Coley" with "tunnel vision."
• DNA testing found another man's sperm on the bedsheet where the victim was found — Coley's DNA was absent from all evidence.
• Governor Brown pardoned Coley on November 22, 2017 after 39 years. Simi Valley paid $21 million to settle his lawsuit.

Charlotte Pleytez & Lombardo Palacios — Los Angeles County, 2009 (full case →)

• In 2009, both were convicted of killing Hector Flores, who was shot in his car in East Hollywood. Palacios was 15 years old at the time of arrest.
• Pleytez was identified from a mug shot book containing only two women. Two of three witness identifications used equivocal language like "stood out the most" and "resembles the suspect" — not definitive IDs.
• Palacios confessed only after more than 100 denials as detectives lied about evidence. This coercive interrogation of a minor is now illegal under California law.
• The DA's Conviction Integrity Unit found that Palacios and Pleytez were not at the scene and not involved in any way. New evidence pointed to different suspects.
• Both were exonerated after 17 years. LA DA Nathan Hochman publicly apologized for their wrongful imprisonment.

William Woods — California, 2024

• In one of the most bizarre wrongful conviction cases in California history, Woods had his identity stolen by a co-worker in 1988 — and then was convicted of identity theft and impersonation when he tried to reclaim it.
• The real thief, Matthew David Keirans, lived under Woods' identity for over 30 years while Woods spent years homeless, unable to prove who he was.
• In 2021, Woods was arrested and convicted of stealing his own identity based on testimony and records built up by Keirans over decades.
• On April 11, 2024, after Keirans admitted the truth in federal court, Woods' conviction was vacated and all charges dismissed.

The Interrogation Techniques That Produced False Testimony

• Police and social workers used highly suggestive questioning techniques on children, telling them that other children had already "told the truth" about abuse.
• Therapists and law enforcement coached children to provide increasingly dramatic and detailed accusations that escalated into claims of satanic rituals.
• "Correct" answers were rewarded while denials of abuse were treated as signs of further trauma, creating an interrogation environment where children learned what adults wanted to hear.
• Children were interviewed repeatedly over weeks and months, with each session building on prior contaminated testimony.
• Multiple child witnesses recanted as adults, admitting they had been coerced into making false allegations.

Scott & Brenda Kniffen and Alvin & Debbie McCuan — Kern County, 1984

• The Kniffens and McCuans were the first defendants convicted in the Kern County sex ring prosecutions, charged with operating a child molestation ring.
• They received a combined sentence of more than 1,000 years in prison.
• The convictions were based entirely on testimony from children subjected to the coercive interview techniques described above. No physical evidence supported the allegations.
• In 1996, after 12 years in prison, all four convictions were overturned. The couples were released.

Jeffrey Modahl — Kern County, 1984

• Modahl was convicted of participating in a "child sex abuse ring" along with his wife, Ruth Taylor, and members of the Cox family.
• At the 1999 habeas hearing, Modahl's lawyer presented key evidence withheld by the DA's office: a medical exam revealing that one child had not been sodomized (contradicting the prosecution's claims) and a tape recording of a social worker inventing explicit descriptions of sexual abuse and pressuring a child to affirm them.
• After serving 15 years in prison, Modahl was released in May 1999 and all charges were dropped.

Rick & Marcella Pitts — Kern County, 1985

• The Pitts case charged seven adults with coordinated molestation of multiple victims. Marcella Pitts received a 373-year sentence.
• Marcella told reporters that the charges stemmed from a custody dispute — her ex-husband's wife had fabricated allegations to prevent Marcella from regaining custody of her children.
• Three child witnesses recanted their testimony as adults.
• The California Supreme Court refused to reinstate the convictions, citing the recantations and the burden a retrial would place on the other alleged victims.

Jack & Jackie Cummings — Kern County, 1985

• Husband and wife Jack and Jackie Cummings were convicted of child molestation as part of the Kern County sex ring prosecutions.
• Like other defendants, their convictions relied on coerced testimony from children who were subjected to suggestive interrogation techniques.
• Their convictions were overturned on appeal.

Marjorie Grafton — Kern County

• Grafton was convicted as part of the mass Kern County child abuse prosecutions.
• Her conviction was reversed on appeal after the coercive interview techniques used on child witnesses were exposed.

Timothy Palomo — Kern County

• Palomo was convicted as part of the Kern County sex ring prosecutions.
• His conviction was reversed on appeal. Like all defendants in these cases, the prosecution relied entirely on child testimony produced through coercive methods.

Members of the Cox Family & Ruth Taylor — Kern County, 1984

• Multiple members of the Cox family and Ruth Taylor (Jeffrey Modahl's wife) were convicted alongside Modahl in the alleged sex abuse ring.
• The hidden tape of a social worker coaching children to make false accusations was central to overturning these convictions.
• Convictions were overturned after the concealed evidence came to light.

The McMartin Preschool Trial — Los Angeles County, 1983–1990

• In 1983, a mother accused a teacher at the McMartin Preschool in Manhattan Beach of molesting her son. The accusation triggered a panic that eventually involved hundreds of alleged acts of sexual abuse against dozens of children.
• Psychological examiners at Children's Institute International (CII) asked leading questions, told children that others had already disclosed abuse, and rewarded "correct" answers. Transcripts showed far more speech from adults than children.
• Initially, children denied abuse. After repeated coercive interviews, allegations escalated to include satanic rituals, secret tunnels, and animal sacrifice — none of which were ever substantiated.
• In 2005, one of the children retracted his allegations, admitting he lied because investigators kept pushing him to give the answers they wanted.
• After 7 years of prosecution and $15 million in costs, Peggy McMartin Buckey was acquitted on all counts. Ray Buckey was cleared on 52 of 65 counts. The remaining counts resulted in a mistrial, and all charges were eventually dropped.
• The McMartin trial remains the longest and most expensive criminal trial in American history, and a landmark example of how manufactured child testimony can destroy lives.

The San Francisco Crime Lab Scandal — Deborah Madden (2010)

• In December 2009, SFPD received a tip that crime lab technician Deborah Madden was stealing cocaine from evidence she was supposed to be testing. A vial of cocaine was found on her dresser by her sister.
• Police Chief George Gascon shut down the entire crime lab on March 9, 2010. Drug testing was outsourced to other facilities.
• Then-DA Kamala Harris's office had to dismiss approximately 1,500 drug cases potentially tainted by Madden's handling of evidence.
• Every drug conviction that relied on Madden's lab work was potentially compromised. Defendants who had already pleaded guilty or been convicted had no way of knowing whether the evidence against them was legitimate.
• The scandal exposed deeper systemic problems with evidence handling at the SFPD facility, including allegations of mixed-up DNA test tubes with records destroyed.

California DOJ Ripon Crime Lab — Methamphetamine Disappearances

• The California Department of Justice discovered that quantities of methamphetamine brought in for testing at its Ripon crime lab had disappeared.
• Missing drug evidence undermines the chain of custody and raises questions about the integrity of every case processed at the facility.
• When evidence goes missing, it becomes impossible to verify whether the substances tested were actually what prosecutors claimed at trial.

LAPD Crime Lab Fingerprint Scandal

• Analysts at the Los Angeles Police Department crime lab misidentified fingerprints in at least two burglary cases.
• An analyst was fired, two supervisors were replaced, and three other employees were suspended.
• Fingerprint evidence is treated as near-conclusive by juries. When analysts misidentify prints, innocent people can be convicted based on evidence that appears irrefutable but is actually wrong.

Oakland Police Investigator Phong Tran — Alameda County

• Tran was the lead investigator in the 2011 murder of Charles Hiawatha Butler in North Oakland.
• He allegedly made secret cash payments totaling approximately $30,000 to witness Aisha Weber. Weber, who was homeless, testified that she witnessed the shooting.
• In 2021, Weber recanted: "I was not truthful." She alleged Tran pressured her to lie and coached her testimony.
• Two men — Giovonte Douglas and Cartier Hunter — spent 9 and 11 years respectively in prison based on Weber's coached testimony.
• In April 2023, the Alameda County DA charged Tran with felony perjury, bribery, and witness intimidation. An internal affairs investigation revealed additional troubling practices at OPD.

The Scope: Informant Operations Across Six Counties

• Two informants alone received over $335,000 in cash payments between 2011 and 2015.
• They provided information for cases in Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, Monterey, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
• Informants received: favorable consideration in their own cases, special housing with a couch, TV, gaming console, microwave, and refrigerator, fast food, cigarettes, laptops, phone cards, and permission to cover lights and surveillance cameras.
• The ACLU filed a lawsuit alleging the scandal tainted at least 140 cases — far more than the 57 initially identified.

Prosecutor Ebrahim Baytieh — Orange County (Now a Judge)

• Baytieh, now a sitting judge, was accused in court filings of leading a "criminal conspiracy to cover up police misconduct and withhold evidence" when he was a high-ranking Orange County prosecutor.
• He was identified as a key figure in the concealment of informant evidence in the Paul Gentile Smith murder case.
• Smith's murder conviction was thrown out in 2021 after the DA's office conceded the defendant should receive a new trial.
• The fact that Baytieh was promoted to judge despite these allegations exemplifies the lack of accountability for prosecutors who participate in informant abuses.

U.S. Department of Justice Findings — Orange County, 2022

• In October 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice issued findings confirming unconstitutional practices in the Orange County jail informant program.
• The DOJ found that OCSD had systematically violated the constitutional rights of defendants by using informants to extract statements from represented defendants.
• A reform agreement between the DOJ and OCSD was signed in January 2025.
• The reform agreement came more than a decade after defense attorney Scott Sanders first exposed the program in the Dekraai case.

Rampart Batch Exonerations: Drug Offense Victims

Dozens of defendants were convicted of drug offenses based on drugs planted by Rampart CRASH officers who then testified under oath that the drugs were found on the defendants. These include:

• Juan Rojo — Convicted on fabricated drug charges. Exonerated after Rampart investigation.
• Carlos Romero — Convicted on fabricated evidence. Exonerated.
• Blanca Sahagun — One of the few women caught up in the Rampart scandal. Convicted on false officer testimony. Exonerated.
• Sergio Salcido — Convicted on fabricated evidence. Exonerated.
• Gene Serrano — Convicted on perjured officer testimony. Exonerated.

More Rampart Exonerations: Weapons & Assault Victims

• Juan Suares — Convicted on charges supported by false officer testimony. Exonerated.
• Daniel Tapia — Convicted based on fabricated evidence by CRASH officers. Exonerated.
• James Thomas — Convicted on perjured testimony. Exonerated.
• Paul Thompson — Convicted on fabricated charges. Exonerated.
• Juan Torrecillas — Convicted on false testimony. Exonerated.
• Aristide Vanegas — Convicted based on fabricated evidence. Exonerated.

Additional Rampart Exonerations

• Gregorio Vasquez — Convicted on false evidence. Exonerated.
• Edward Villanueva — Convicted on perjured officer testimony. Exonerated.
• Laura Villatora — Convicted based on fabricated evidence. Exonerated.
• Rene Vriones — Convicted on false testimony. Exonerated.
• Mohammed Wesley — Convicted on perjured testimony. Exonerated.
• Michael Williams — Convicted based on fabricated evidence by CRASH officers. Exonerated.
• Miguel Yanez — Convicted on false testimony. Exonerated.
• Rafael Zambrano — Convicted based on fabricated evidence. Exonerated.