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Exonorees
We share the stories of Mississippians released from prison. Their freedom is the result of the work of the Innocence Project New Orleans, Innocence Project New York, many private practitioners and co-counsel, and others. Together, these men have served over 202.5 years in prison for crimes they did not commit. These are their stories.
* Cases with an asterisk denote those litigated by Innocence Project of New Orleans (IPNO), which preexisted the establishment of the Mississippi Innocence Project. Because of IPNO’s proximity of south Mississippi, it continues to litigate cases in – mostly – south Mississippi. IPNO is one of the most successful projects in the country. Its work is featured here: http://www.ip-no.org/
Exonorees
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* Arthur Johnson
- County: Sunflower County
- Charge: Rape
- Years in Prison: 16
- Perpetrator Found? Yes – pending trial
- Date Released: September, 2008
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* Bobby Ray Dixon
- County: Forrest County
- Charge: Capital Murder
- Years in Prison: 30
- Perpetrator Found? Yes
- Date Released: August 2010 on medical parole. Mr. Dixon passed away on November 7, 2010
- Date Exonerated: December, 2010
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* Cedric Willis
- County: Hinds County
- Charge: Capital Murder, Armed Robbery
- Years in Prison: 12
- Perpetrator Found? No
- Date Released: March 6, 2006
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James Gates
- County: Humphreys
- Charge: Capital Murder
- Years in Prison: Around a year
- Perpetrator Found? Yes
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* Jimmie Bass
- County: Bolivar County
- Charge: Aggravated assault and armed robbery
- Years in Prison: 18
- Perpetrator Found? No
- Date Exonerated: March 2010
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Kennedy Brewer
- Charge: Capital Murder/Sentenced to Death
- Years in Prison: 13
- Perpetrator Found? Yes
- Date Released: February 15, 2008
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* Larry Ruffin (posthumously)
- County: Forrest County
- Charge: Capital Murder
- Years in Prison: 22
- Perpetrator Found? Yes
- Date Released: Died in Prison in 2002
- Date Exonerated: December, 2010
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Leigh Stubbs/Tami Vance
- County: Lincoln County
- Charge: Aggravated Assault, Unauthorized Possession of Controlled Substance
- Years in Prison: 12
- Date Released: June 2012
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Levon Brooks
- County: Noxubee County
- Charge: Capital Murder
- Years in Prison: 18
- Perpetrator Found? Yes
- Date Released: May 13, 2008
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Matthew Norwood
- County: Hinds County
- Charge: Armed Carjacking
- Years in Prison: 15
- Perpetrator Found? Yes
- Date Released: October 2010
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* Phillip Bivens
- County: Forrest County
- Charge: Capital Murder
- Years in Prison: 30
- Perpetrator Found? Yes
- Date Released: September, 2010
- Date Exonerated: December, 2010