A Pennsylvania judge has overturned the convictions of three men who were imprisoned for decades in the 1997 slaying of a 70-year-old woman, despite their DNA never matching that found at the scene. The judge ordered new trials for Derrick Chappell, Morton Johnson, and Sam Grasty, who were charged and convicted in the death of Henrietta Nickens of Chester. The prosecutors were accused of running roughshod over the defendants and presenting preposterous theories to explain the lack of a DNA match.
The three defendants, all young people from the neighborhood, were convicted even though DNA testing showed that semen found in the victim’s body did not match any of them. The prosecution’s theories included the suggestion that the victim may have had consensual sex before the slaying, or that the defendants brought a used condom to the scene. However, Nickens was chronically ill and had no known male partners, making these theories implausible. The defense lawyer called the prosecution’s arguments absurd and criticized them for getting juries to buy into their story.
Common Pleas Court Judge Mary Alice Brennan threw out the convictions at a hearing and set a bail hearing to determine if county prosecutors will seek a new trial. District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer plans to review the case before making a decision on whether to appeal. The three defendants are now in their 40s and had previously filed petitions in federal court, claiming they were wrongly convicted, but these were denied.
Paul Casteleiro, Grasty’s lawyer and legal director of the nonprofit Centurion, stated that the case should never have been prosecuted and the evidence always pointed to the defendants being innocent. He criticized the prosecutors for running roughshod over the defendants and presenting various implausible theories. The Pennsylvania Innocence Project also worked on the case. The defense lawyers for Johnson and Chappell have not yet responded to requests for comment.
The men will remain in prison while a decision is made about whether to seek a new trial. The process of overturning their convictions highlights the flaws in the original investigation and trial. The lack of a DNA match and the questionable theories presented by the prosecution raise doubts about the guilt of the defendants. The judge’s decision to order new trials provides hope for the men after spending decades in prison for a crime they may not have committed.
The case underscores the importance of thorough and fair investigations in criminal cases. The wrongful convictions of Chappell, Johnson, and Grasty serve as a reminder of the potential for miscarriages of justice and the need for safeguards to prevent such situations from occurring. The decision to overturn their convictions reflects a commitment to justice and fairness, as well as the ongoing efforts to ensure that the legal system operates in a just and equitable manner.
