Kirk Odom became the second man in two months to have his rape conviction overturned due to erroneous hair matches. Odom, 49, was released in 2003 but only found to have been wrongfully convicted early this July after a court-ordered DNA test revealed the hair did not match him.
Odom’s case was featured in a Washington Post story in April about how the Justice Department knew that flawed forensic science might have led to innocent people being convicted. Since that story, the FBI has launched a review of thousands of cases to determine if more defendants were wrongfully convicted. (Read more about the FBI review here.)
In a joint motion to overturn Odom’s conviction, the U.S. Attorney wrote in the motion that “The United States expresses its profound regret for the harm suffered by Mr. Odom, and requests that this Court immediately vacate Mr. Odom’s convictions and dismiss the indictments against him with prejudice.” If the judge grants the motion Odom will be released from lifelong parole and will no longer have to register as a sex offender.
A judge granted the motion July 13, Odom’s 50th birthday.
Congressional lawmakers proposed legislation this month to help reduce the number of wrongful convictions based on flawed forensics. Read more here.
