Ray White's wrongful convictions overturned after 25 years of undeserved imprisonment
Client(s) White, Earnest Ray
Jones Day attorneys, along with the Georgia Innocence Project and the Mercer Law School Habeas Clinic, represented Ray White in overturning his wrongful convictions in connection with a 1994 attack on a young woman. Ray was wrongfully convicted in 1996 and spent more than 25 years unjustly imprisoned. Ray's counsel filed an Extraordinary Motion for New Trial ("EMNT"), which argued that the jury likely would not have convicted Ray had it known--in addition to the many other indicators of Ray's innocence, including a solid alibi--that his DNA was not present on the victim's clothing.
The Columbia County District Attorney's Office was not willing to acknowledge Ray's innocence, but it did offer to consent to vacating Ray's convictions so that he could enter an "Alford" plea to lesser charges. Under the agreement, Ray maintained his innocence, received a sentence of time served, and had all of his parole conditions immediately terminated. After 25 years of wrongful imprisonment and three years living under highly restrictive parole conditions, Ray decided to prioritize his family and put his wrongful convictions behind him once and for all. He accepted the state's offer for freedom rather than risking years of continued litigation.
State of Georgia v. Earnest Ray White, No. CR-95-0260 (Columbia County, Ga. Sup. Ct.)
