May 26 2009
Release Expected for Jerry Lee Evans After 22 Years of Wrongful Incarceration
The Innocence Project of Texas has recently learned that Jerry Lee Evans is expected to be released from incarceration tomorrow after serving more than 22 years on a wrongful conviction out of Dallas County. Evans, who was convicted of a 1986 aggravated sexual assault and sentenced to life in prison, has always maintained that he was wrongfully convicted of the crime. According to Evans, he was offered a plea deal of 20 years incarceration before his case went to trial, but he decided to turn the offer down because he was actually innocent. Evans has been seeking DNA testing from the courts since 2002 when he was first appointed an attorney for his DNA motion.
The Dallas Morning News Crime Blog reports:
Like 18 of his fellow exonerees, Evans was convicted based on eyewitness testimony. The Dallas Morning News published a series last year that showed all but one of the DNA exonerations used faulty eyewitness testimony to convict.
Evans was wrongly convicted of raping an 18-year-old Southern Methodist University student when she and a friend were headed out to go dancing in Deep Ellum.
He was convicted in 1987.
Evans matched the description of the rapist, including having a speech impediment, court records show.
If Evans is released tomorrow, he will become the 20th person cleared by DNA testing in Dallas County.
I would like to find out how to get help for my brother. He has been in prison since 1985 and the courts in Brownwood, TX refused to give him DNA testing. Any help and information you can send me is greatly appreciated.
He was convicted in 1985 and had a retrial in the 90’s and was convicted again without DNA testing. He is not in good health and is 64 years old.
Thank you