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DNA Clears Texan Jailed for 30 Years

Cornelius Dupree Jr. wrongfully convicted of 1979 rape, robbery

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 4, 2011 5:46 AM CST

(Newser) – A Texas man who spent 30 years in jail for a crime he didn't commit was cleared by a DNA test, and a Dallas County court is expected to exonerate him today. Cornelius Dupree Jr., 51, was 20 years old when he was jailed in connection with a 1979 rape and robbery. Test results proving his innocence arrived back a week after he was paroled in July last year, AP reports.

Dupree could have been paroled sooner if he had admitted guilt, according to a lawyer for the Innocence Project, the New York-based legal center that took up Dupree's case in 2007. If the conviction is overturned as expected, Dupree will be the longest-serving inmate in Texas to have been exonerated through DNA tests, and the third-longest nationwide.

This photo provided by The Innocence Project shows Cornelius Dupree Jr., right, and his wife Selma Perkins Dupree.
This photo provided by The Innocence Project shows Cornelius Dupree Jr., right, and his wife Selma Perkins Dupree.   (AP Photo/Courtesy of The Innocence Project, ho)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 16 comments
Rmccomment27
Jan 5, 2011 6:43 PM CST
Jaycee Dugard was wrongfully confined by a private citizen for 18 years and she got $20 million from the State. Poor Dupree, he was wrongfully confined by the State for 30 years and he will not get more than $500,000. Here is an article that explains why this is unfair: http://apleblog.com/2010/07/04/compensation-for-wrongful-imprisonment-depends-on-who-has-the-keys/
STACCEE
Jan 4, 2011 1:53 PM CST
You have to remember this is my state of texas, that have exonerated more innocent men than any other state. now if our good ole redneck, tea partying, sara palin ass kissing dyed haired, want to succeed from the union, racist ass governor perry grant him a full pardon, he can sue the hell out the state, but old perry will take his time doing that if he ever does
Observer
Jan 4, 2011 12:11 PM CST
Punish the Judge, Prosecutors and Police that ruined this man's life. I'd say 1 year of cellmate sodomy and rape will teach them a lesson to be more diligent in their facts and convictions.

 
Texas • wrongful conviction • Innocence Project • DNA evidence • exoneration

 
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