Reginald Tanubagijo: California: Shaken Baby Syndrome: Major (Welcome) Development: Freed after 11 years of wrongful incarceration, a judge has cited 'discredited science, The Vanguard (Vanguard staff) reports, noting that: "Tanubagijo, 68, was convicted in 2014 in the death of his 3-month-old foster son, known affectionately as “Buddy.” Prosecutors at the time claimed the child’s fatal injuries could only be the result of shaken baby syndrome (SBS) or abusive head trauma (AHT). But medical experts now say the injuries could have been caused by a short fall—the explanation Tanubagijo had consistently given since the infant’s 2010 death. Tanubagijo was represented by the Northern California Innocence Project (NCIP) at Santa Clara University School of Law. His release comes after the Superior Court reversed and vacated his convictions on May 7, citing new scientific consensus and evidence."

• PASSAGE ONE OF THE DAY: "During his 2014 trial, three prosecution experts insisted that a short fall could not explain the extent of Buddy’s injuries, asserting that only violent shaking or impact could have caused them. The defense struggled to counter this narrative due to the dominant medical belief at the time. However, that understanding has changed substantially over the past decade. In 2021, at NCIP’s request, the Alameda County coroner’s chief forensic pathologist reviewed the case and issued a declaration stating that the prosecution’s expert testimony had since been undermined by advancements in pediatric forensic science. The medical community has since acknowledged that certain types of intracranial bleeding and brain injuries once attributed solely to SBS/AHT can result from short accidental falls, preexisting conditions, and other causes. California Senate Bill 467, co-sponsored by NCIP and signed into law in 2021, allows people to challenge convictions based on outdated or discredited expert testimony. Under that law, NCIP filed a writ of habeas corpus that ultimately led to Tanubagijo’s release."

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PASSAGE TWO OF THE DAY: "Judge William J. Pendergast III ruled from the bench on May 7, stating that expert medical testimony at trial had been undermined, and that new evidence likely would have changed the outcome of the case. The court found that material evidence presented at the original trial was rendered false in light of updated scientific knowledge.

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PASSAGE THREE OF THE DAY: "Tanubagijo’s case is part of NCIP’s broader initiative to correct wrongful convictions rooted in outdated SBS/AHT science. His is the second such case in recent months. Earlier this year, NCIP helped exonerate Jose Olivares, who had spent 13 years in prison for a similar misdiagnosis. “We hope that as courts across the country take notice of these cases, it will help shift the paradigm in how SBS cases are evaluated by prosecutors, by doctors, and by the legal system as a whole,” said NCIP Executive Director Todd Fries. NCIP’s work in this area has been supported in part by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Upholding Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions Program, and by an Equal Justice Works Fellowship sponsored by Fenwick & West LLP. Tanubagijo’s next court hearing is scheduled for June 6. The Solano County District Attorney’s Office has not stated whether it plans to retry the case."

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QUOTE OF THE DAY: "“The state of medical knowledge finally supports what Mr. Tanubagijo has long insisted: that his foster son’s tragic death was the result of a devastating accident,” said NCIP Clinical Supervising Attorney Lauryn Barbosa Findley. “This is not just a legal victory, it is the correction of a profound injustice.”

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STORY:  "Reginald Tanubagijo freed after 11 years of wrongful incarceration, judge cites discredited science, published by The Davis Vanguard, on May 20, 2025.

GIST: "Santa Clara: CA – After spending over a decade behind bars, Reginald “Regi” Tanubagijo walked out of San Quentin Rehabilitation Center a free man on Friday, May 16, following a judge’s ruling that his convictions for second-degree murder and child assault were based on discredited science."

GIST: Tanubagijo, 68, was convicted in 2014 in the death of his 3-month-old foster son, known affectionately as “Buddy.” Prosecutors at the time claimed the child’s fatal injuries could only be the result of shaken baby syndrome (SBS) or abusive head trauma (AHT). But medical experts now say the injuries could have been caused by a short fall—the explanation Tanubagijo had consistently given since the infant’s 2010 death.

Tanubagijo was represented by the Northern California Innocence Project (NCIP) at Santa Clara University School of Law. His release comes after the Superior Court reversed and vacated his convictions on May 7, citing new scientific consensus and evidence.

“The state of medical knowledge finally supports what Mr. Tanubagijo has long insisted: that his foster son’s tragic death was the result of a devastating accident,” said NCIP Clinical Supervising Attorney Lauryn Barbosa Findley. “This is not just a legal victory, it is the correction of a profound injustice.”

Tanubagijo and his wife, Tammy, had been foster parents to seven children and received recognition from Solano County and the California State Assembly for their work. They adopted one of the children and were caring for Buddy when he fell from a bouncer chair on a kitchen table and sustained fatal head injuries. Buddy had been born prematurely, exposed to methamphetamine in utero, and suffered from medical complications including reflux and feeding difficulties.

According to trial testimony, on the evening of November 29, 2010, Tanubagijo placed Buddy in a bouncer seat on top of a kitchen table to help him digest formula. When the tablecloth slipped, the chair fell to the tile floor. Buddy suffered serious head trauma and later died after being airlifted to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland.

During his 2014 trial, three prosecution experts insisted that a short fall could not explain the extent of Buddy’s injuries, asserting that only violent shaking or impact could have caused them. The defense struggled to counter this narrative due to the dominant medical belief at the time. However, that understanding has changed substantially over the past decade.

In 2021, at NCIP’s request, the Alameda County coroner’s chief forensic pathologist reviewed the case and issued a declaration stating that the prosecution’s expert testimony had since been undermined by advancements in pediatric forensic science. The medical community has since acknowledged that certain types of intracranial bleeding and brain injuries once attributed solely to SBS/AHT can result from short accidental falls, preexisting conditions, and other causes.

California Senate Bill 467, co-sponsored by NCIP and signed into law in 2021, allows people to challenge convictions based on outdated or discredited expert testimony. Under that law, NCIP filed a writ of habeas corpus that ultimately led to Tanubagijo’s release.

Judge William J. Pendergast III ruled from the bench on May 7, stating that expert medical testimony at trial had been undermined, and that new evidence likely would have changed the outcome of the case. The court found that material evidence presented at the original trial was rendered false in light of updated scientific knowledge.

Tanubagijo, who immigrated from Indonesia in 1980, had worked for over a decade as an accounting technician at the Solano County Probation Office and had no criminal history. He and his wife built a stable home in Suisun City, fostering children in need of care and stability. Supporters described him as a calm, deeply religious, and peaceful man. More than 35 people, including local officials, wrote letters on his behalf during his original trial.

Following his release, Tanubagijo reunited with his wife and sister outside San Quentin. His daughter, Makena, now 17, was just a toddler when her father was imprisoned. The family now lives in Clovis, where Tanubagijo will experience their home for the first time and begin to rebuild his life.

Outside the gates of San Quentin on Friday morning, Tanubagijo was greeted with tears, embraces, and a box of Señorita bread—a Filipino pastry he had missed in prison. The family then shared his first meal as a free man at a café in San Rafael.

“I consider this a miracle,” Tanubagijo said. “Without you guys, I’m not here. That’s the key.”

In prison, Tanubagijo coped with his grief and isolation by leaning on his Christian faith. He kept in touch with his family through limited video visits and letters. His wife Tammy described the long years of separation and emotional toll on their daughter, who often cried, “I want Daddy,” but could only hear his voice over broken phones or lagging video calls.

“I just wish Regi could have shared in her growing up,” Tammy said. “Now we can finally, finally be a family again.”

Tanubagijo’s case is part of NCIP’s broader initiative to correct wrongful convictions rooted in outdated SBS/AHT science. His is the second such case in recent months. Earlier this year, NCIP helped exonerate Jose Olivares, who had spent 13 years in prison for a similar misdiagnosis.

“We hope that as courts across the country take notice of these cases, it will help shift the paradigm in how SBS cases are evaluated by prosecutors, by doctors, and by the legal system as a whole,” said NCIP Executive Director Todd Fries.

NCIP’s work in this area has been supported in part by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Upholding Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions Program, and by an Equal Justice Works Fellowship sponsored by Fenwick & West LLP.

Tanubagijo’s next court hearing is scheduled for June 6. The Solano County District Attorney’s Office has not stated whether it plans to retry the case."

The entire story can be read at:

https://davisvanguard.org/2025/05/reginald-tanubagijo-innocence-project/

PUBLISHER'S NOTE:  I am monitoring this case/issue/resource. 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.

SEE BREAKDOWN OF  SOME OF THE ON-GOING INTERNATIONAL CASES (OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL USA) THAT I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS BLOG,  AT THE LINK BELOW:  HL:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/120008354894645705/4704913685758792985

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FINAL WORD:  (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases):  "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."

Lawyer Radha Natarajan:

Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;

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FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions.   They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!

Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;