Louisiana Death Row Inmate Freed After 30 Years as Overturned Conviction Resurfaces
A Louisiana man, Jimmie Duncan, who spent nearly 30 years on death row, was released after a judge overturned his conviction, citing unreliable forensic evidence. The case, which involves the alleged rape and drowning of Duncan’s girlfriend’s 23-month-old daughter, Haley Oliveaux, has raised questions about the reliability of bite mark analysis as forensic evidence.
Jimmie Duncan, now in his 60s, was sentenced to death in 1998 for the crime, but the conviction was overturned in April when Fourth Judicial District Court Judge Alvin Sharp deemed the expert testimony used against him as ‘not scientifically defensible.’ The judge concluded that the toddler’s death appeared consistent with an accidental drowning, and that the evidence was rooted in discredited forensic practices.
While the Louisiana Attorney General, Liz Murrill, has argued for Duncan’s continued incarceration, the release of Duncan on bail highlights the broader implications of flawed forensic science on justice outcomes. His attorneys have emphasized the need for a full exoneration, pointing to new evidence and the absence of any prior criminal history as key factors in his release.
The case has been linked to numerous other wrongful convictions, including those of Mississippi men Levon Brooks and Kennedy Brewer, who were exonerated after serving a combined 30 years. The Innocence Project has criticized bite mark analysis as ‘junk science,’ calling for its complete elimination from legal proceedings.
Duncan’s release comes amid a broader national discussion about the use of forensic evidence in capital cases. As the Louisiana Supreme Court continues its review of the case, the implications of this decision may extend well beyond Duncan’s personal story, raising critical questions about the integrity of the justice system and the potential for wrongful convictions.