Saturday, July 14, 2012

Bulletin: Kirk L. Odom; officially exonerated; DNA retesting cleared him in D.C. rape, robbery; Reporter Spencer Hsu; The Washington Post;


STORY: "Kirk L. Odom officially exonerated; DNA testing cleared him in D.C. rape, robbery," by reporter Spencer S. Hsu, published in the Washington Post on July 13, 2012.

GIST: "A D.C. Superior Court judge on Friday officially exonerated Kirk L. Odom, wrongfully imprisoned for more than 22 years in the rape and robbery of a woman in her Capitol Hill apartment in 1981. “Mr. Odom has been the victim of a grave miscarriage of justice. He is actually innocent of the crimes for which he was convicted,” Judge Herbert B. Dixon wrote in a three-page order that vacated Odom’s convictions on the basis of new DNA testing that proved he was not the perpetrator.........Odom maintained his innocence since before his 1982 trial and sought new DNA tests in February 2011. The Washington Post has reported that Odom is the third D.C. man convicted of rape or murder to have his charges vacated since 2009 based on erroneous forensics and testimony by FBI hair experts."

The entire story can be found at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/kirk-l-odom-officially-exonerated-dna-retesting-cleared-him-in-dc-rape-robbery/2012/07/13/gJQAuH3piW_story.html?wprss=rss_local

PUBLISHER'S NOTE:

I am monitoring this case. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments.

The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:

http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith

Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:

http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html

Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com

Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.