Instructions for Using the Registry

The table below shows all individual exonerations. By default, the table is set to show exonerations from 1989 through the present. Check "Pre-1989" in the Exoneration Era filter to view Pre-1989 exonerations. Use the filters on the left to search for exonerations with particular criteria. Hover over the symbols for explanations of filters or columns. Use the Keyword Search box to filter for cases that contain those keywords in the narrative summary.

If multiple keywords are entered, the search will show cases in which the narrative contains ALL of those words. So adding more search terms will narrow the search. Terms with fewer than three characters (e.g., "IQ") are ignored in searches. Searches can be further narrowed by using "quotation marks" to search for exact phrases. Keywords both inside and outside quotation marks can be combined. And, truncated words can be entered: the term "discrim" will return all variants on that root. No "wildcards," such as "*" are necessary for truncation.

Since the table is filtered to 1989 through the present by default, a search for the name of someone who was exonerated before 1989 will not produce results until the Date of Exoneration is adjusted, or the Pre-1989 filter is selected.

Once filters have been set, select the column headings you wish to display, and sort the table by whatever column heading you choose by clicking on the column heading. For more detailed instructions, see Understanding the Registry, under "About" at the top right of the Home Page.

Note: 1989 was the year of the first DNA exoneration and the dawn of a new era of wrongful convictions. The Registry used to separate the two - pre and post 1989 exonerations - into two separate and distinct databases. They are now synthesized to reflect the entire body of exoneration data. If you wish to view exonerations prior to 1989, check "Pre-1989" in the Exoneration Era filter.

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Total records: 744
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Name State County Convicted Exonerated Crime Sentence Years lost Age Race Sex Posting Date
Whirl, Shawn Illinois Cook 1991 2015 Murder 60 years 24.0 20 Black Male 10-22-2015
White, Antoine Illinois Cook 2003 2022 Drug Possession or Sale Probation 0 21 Black Male 05-16-2022
White, John Jerome Georgia Meriwether 1980 2007 Sexual Assault Life 21.0 20 Black Male 08-29-2011
White, Lionel Jr. Illinois Cook 2006 2017 Drug Possession or Sale Probation 0 17 Black Male 11-28-2018
White, Lionel Sr. Illinois Cook 2006 2016 Drug Possession or Sale 5 years 2.3 33 Black Male 12-20-2016
Wiggins, David Lee Texas Tarrant 1989 2012 Child Sex Abuse Life 23.2 24 White Male 11-06-2012
Wilbourn, Kim Illinois Cook 2006 2019 Drug Possession or Sale 2 years 0.4 27 Black Male 02-26-2019
Wilbourn, Vondell Illinois Cook 2005 2018 Drug Possession or Sale 5 years and 6 months 1.0 29 Black Male 12-09-2018
Wilkins, Theodore Illinois Cook 2008 2022 Drug Possession or Sale 8 years 3.1 27 Black Male 03-13-2022
Williams, Archie Louisiana East Baton Rouge 1983 2019 Attempted Murder Life without parole 35.9 22 Black Male 03-23-2019
Williams, Derrick Raphel Florida Manatee 1993 2011 Sexual Assault Life 18.0 29 Black Male 08-29-2011
Williams, Gregory Texas Lubbock 2018 2023 Sex Offender Registration 2 years 4.0 55 Black Male 04-19-2024
Williams, James Curtis Texas Dallas 1984 2012 Sexual Assault Life 27.4 25 Black Male 07-16-2012
Williams, John Illinois Cook 2007 2022 Drug Possession or Sale 3 months 0.8 37 Black Male 03-14-2022
Williams, Johnny Jr. California Alameda 2000 2013 Child Sex Abuse 16 years 12.6 23 Black Male 03-08-2013
Williams, Leroy Illinois Cook 2008 2022 Drug Possession or Sale 3 years 1.3 28 Black Male 03-14-2022
Williams, Michael Anthony Louisiana Jackson 1981 2005 Sexual Assault Life without parole 23.8 16 Black Male 08-29-2011
Williams, Octavius Ohio Cuyahoga 2011 2024 Attempted Murder 15 years 8.5 17 Black Male 06-26-2024
Williams, Tyrece Illinois Cook 1991 2025 Murder 35 years 18.6 22 Black Male 04-22-2025
Williams, Willie Georgia Fulton 1985 2007 Sexual Assault 45 years 21.4 23 Black Male 08-29-2011
Willis, Calvin Louisiana Caddo 1982 2003 Child Sex Abuse Life without parole 21.6 21 Black Male 08-29-2011
Willis, Cedric Mississippi Hinds 1997 2006 Murder Life 8.6 19 Black Male 08-29-2011
Willis, Deon Illinois Cook 2008 2018 Drug Possession or Sale 2 Years 1.2 33 Black Male 12-03-2018
Willis, Dexter Illinois Cook 2004 2022 Drug Possession or Sale 3 years 0.8 19 Black Male 05-16-2022
Willis, Dexter Illinois Cook 2003 2022 Drug Possession or Sale 3 months 0.2 18 Black Male 10-04-2022
Winston, Michael Illinois Cook 2007 2012 Murder 40 years 5.3 21 Black Male 07-05-2012
Wise, Korey New York New York 1990 2002 Sexual Assault 5 to 15 years 11.7 16 Black Male 08-29-2011
Wise, Martez Illinois Cook 2007 2018 Drug Possession or Sale 1 year 1.0 23 Black Male 12-03-2018
Witt, Drayton Arizona Maricopa 2002 2012 Murder 20 years 10.3 18 White Male 11-01-2012
Woods, Cathy Nevada Washoe 1980 2015 Murder Life without parole 33.7 26 White Female 03-09-2015
Woods, D'Andra Illinois Cook 2004 2022 Drug Possession or Sale 3 years 1.5 25 Black Male 05-18-2022
Wright, Anthony Illinois Cook 2007 2022 Drug Possession or Sale 2 years 0.2 42 Black Male 03-14-2022
Wright, Anthony Pennsylvania Philadelphia 1993 2016 Murder Life without parole 23.2 20 Black Male 08-26-2016
Wright, Anthony Jr. Illinois Cook 2005 2022 Drug Possession or Sale 5 years 1.5 19 Black Male 05-11-2022
Wright, Cleveland District of Columbia 1979 2014 Murder 20 to Life 27.3 20 Black Male 02-03-2014
Wright, David Illinois Cook 1996 2023 Murder Life without parole 25.9 17 Black Male 04-20-2023
Wright, Eric Tennessee Shelby 1990 2025 Attempted Murder Life 35.1 21 Black Male 12-02-2025
Wright, Ervin Illinois Cook 2004 2023 Drug Possession or Sale 1 year and 6 months 0.3 43 Black Male 09-13-2023
Wright, Joseph Illinois Cook 2005 2022 Drug Possession or Sale Probation 0 23 Black Male 03-14-2022
Wright, Louis Michigan Calhoun 1988 2023 Child Sex Abuse 25 to 50 years 35.1 29 White Male 12-06-2023
Yell, Robert Kentucky Logan 2006 2019 Manslaughter 52 years 10.9 27 White Male 03-27-2019
Young, Gregory Illinois Cook 2003 2022 Drug Possession or Sale 4 years 1.9 38 Black Male 03-08-2022
Zimmer, Walter Ohio Cuyahoga 1998 2011 Manslaughter 50 years 12.7 40 White Male 10-04-2013
Zimmerman, Evan Wisconsin Eau Claire 2001 2005 Murder Life 3.1 53 White Male 08-29-2011