Networked Knowledge - Media Report

This version of the report has been prepared by: Dr Robert N Moles

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On 14 April 2008 Edward L Cardenas of The Detroit News reported “Prisoner freed after DNA exoneration”.

Mount Clemens – He said, a 29-year-old man convicted in 1996 for carjacking, kidnapping, robbing and raping a Macomb County woman was freed on Monday after Macomb County prosecutors decided not to oppose a motion for a new trial and dropped all charges against him. The Innocence Project at Cooley Law School in Lansing was seeking a new trial for Nathaniel Hatchett, who they allege was imprisoned due to bad DNA evidence. Hatchett was serving 25-40 years at the St. Louis correctional facility in Gratiot County. He showed little emotion when the judge dropped the charges.

"I feel great," said his older sister, Tomikann Hatchett, 30, of Detroit. "I am glad we finally got justice. This is what America does when you have no money." The case dates back to when Hatchett was 17 years old and became as suspect after he was found with four other people driving in the victim's vehicle. After seven hours of questioning, he confessed to the crime. A test of the DNA recovered from the victim excluded Hatchett as a source of biological evidence. Prosecutors continued with the case, arguing that the biological material could have come from the victim's husband.

The advanced DNA testing performed earlier this year by the Michigan State Police Forensic Laboratory in Lansing confirmed that both the victim's husband and Hatchett were excluded as possible sources of evidence. Also, the fact that the victim's husband was excluded was not revealed at Hatchett's trial. He maintained his innocence throughout the trial and said his confession was false. Innocence Project casework is done by Cooley Law School students under faculty supervision and with the help, in many cases, of attorneys working for free.

The project has conducted about 3,700 screenings and has been successful in exonerating Kenneth Wyniemko and Eddie Joe Lloyd after post-conviction DNA testing proved they did not commit the crimes for which they were convicted.

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