• 30
  • January
    2012

A woman was recently released from prison after new evidence was discovered 20 years after her aggravated murder conviction. In 1988, the woman's separated husband died from arsenic poisoning, just five days before their final divorce proceeding. Authorities focused their investigation on the wife after the coroner's office erroneously concluded that the man died from amytriptyline - not arsenic. The former Chief of Toxicology of Franklin County, Ohio was later convicted of falsification after he provided false testimony supporting her murder conviction.

The woman is now bringing civil lawsuits against the state of Ohio, Franklin County Coroner's Office and Licking County Coroner's Office. No amount of money can ever truly compensate the woman for the two decades she served in prison, but she hopes to recover monetary damages and hold wrongdoers publicly accountable for the harm they've caused her and her family.

The victim is also seeking a declaration from the state that she suffered a wrongful imprisonment, so her name can be officially cleared.

If you or a loved one is facing wrongful criminal charges, contact an experienced Philadelphia criminal defense lawyer to begin building a sound defense strategy.

Source: Courthouse News Service, "Free after 20 years, woman sues Ohio," Kevin Koeninger, Jan. 27, 2012