A judge has overturned the conviction of a Missouri woman who was a psychiatric patient when she incriminated herself in a 1980 killing that her attorneys argue was actually committed by a now-discredited police officer. Sandra Hemme, who has spent 43 years behind bars, had her conviction overturned by Judge Ryan Horsman. The judge ruled that Hemme had established evidence of actual innocence and must be freed within 30 days unless prosecutors retry her.
Hemme's trial counsel was deemed ineffective, and prosecutors were found to have failed to disclose evidence that could have aided her case. Her attorneys have filed a motion seeking her immediate release, stating that this is the longest time a woman has been incarcerated for a wrongful conviction.
Authorities ignored Hemme's contradictory statements and suppressed evidence implicating Michael Holman, a former police officer, in the crime. The judge noted that no evidence outside of Hemme's unreliable statements connected her to the crime, while evidence directly tied Holman to the crime scene.
The case dates back to 1980 when the victim, Patricia Jeschke, was found dead in her apartment. Hemme, who was heavily sedated and mentally unstable at the time, incriminated herself in the crime. However, further investigation revealed inconsistencies in her statements and pointed towards Holman as a suspect.
Holman, who was later arrested for unrelated charges, was found in possession of items linked to the crime scene. Despite these findings, Hemme was coerced into pleading guilty to capital murder in 1980 in exchange for avoiding the death penalty.
Her guilty plea was later thrown out on appeal, and she was convicted again in 1985 after a trial that her current attorneys describe as coercive. Hemme's case highlights the failures in the justice system and the importance of ensuring fair trials and due process.
