Home > Texas Cases > Texas Exonerations > Charles Chatman
Charles Chatman is the 15th man proven innocent by DNA testing in Dallas County since 2001. Represented by former IPOT President, Michelle Moore, Chatman made the difficult decision to proceed with DNA testing in late 2007 despite the fact that his Y-STR test could very well consume the entire testable sample. The results of Chatman’s test were released during the first days of January in 2008, and by January 3 Chatman was a free man. He spent more than 26 years in prison for an aggravated sexual assault he did not commit.
Today Chatman resides in Carrollton, Texas and is attempting to rebuild his life and adjust to a city that has changed considerably since his initial incarceration more than a quarter century ago. He is doing his best to locate steady employment and is learning to work with new technologies and innovations developed during his time in prison. Chatman is reconnecting with family members, reaching out to his new community, and doing his part to share information about his experience with IPOT students and the public. He has already made several media appearances and will continue to spread the word about the effects of wrongful conviction.