wrongful conviction
Jury Awards $25.2M in Wrongful Conviction Case
William Richards was wrongfully convicted in 1993 for the murder of his wife due to fabricated forensic evidence and investigative misconduct. After spending over 22 years in prison, new DNA evidence led to his exoneration. On July 2, 2025, a jury awarded him $25.241 million in damages, including $11.5M each for past and future harm and $2.241M in punitive damages. The case exposed systemic failures and raised serious concerns about accountability in law enforcement.