Kevin Strickland facts for kids

Kevin Bernard Strickland (born June 7, 1959) is an American man who was wrongly found guilty of killing three people in Kansas City, Missouri. This happened in 1979 when he was just 20 years old.

There was no physical evidence connecting him to the crime scene. The only person who claimed to see him there later said she was forced by the police to name him. She tried many times to change her story before she passed away in 2015.

Two other men who admitted to the murders said Kevin was not involved. A fingerprint from the gun used in the crime belonged to someone else. Kevin Strickland was sentenced to life in prison. He spent more than 42 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. In 2021, he finally gained national attention. Former prosecutors in his case said he was innocent and asked for his release.

On November 23, 2021, a judge officially overturned his conviction. Kevin Strickland was set free on the same day. His case became the longest confirmed wrongful conviction in Missouri's history.

Efforts to Free Kevin

Kevin Strickland's story was looked into by a newspaper called The Kansas City Star in September 2020. This led prosecutors to re-examine his case. On May 10, 2021, the prosecutor for Jackson County, Jean Peters Baker, wrote a letter. She stated that she believed he was innocent and should be released.

Many people, including former prosecutors and federal prosecutors, agreed he was innocent. The Mayor of Kansas City, Quinton Lucas, and several state lawmakers also wanted him freed.

However, the highest court in Missouri, the Supreme Court of Missouri, said no to his release in June 2021. In August 2021, the Governor of Missouri, Mike Parson, refused to pardon him. He said Kevin's case was not a "priority" and he wasn't sure if Kevin was innocent. The Missouri Attorney General also fought in court to keep Kevin in prison. He said he believed Kevin was guilty.

The Hearing and Freedom

In November 2021, prosecutor Jean Peters Baker organized a three-day hearing. This hearing was held to show why Kevin Strickland's guilty verdicts should be overturned. She explained that the justice system has a way to correct mistakes. She hoped the court would bring Kevin home.

The main reason for the hearing was the witness, Cynthia Douglas. Her original testimony was the only evidence against Kevin. She had often changed her story after the trial. A former Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court testified that her changing statements were the "entire case" for overturning the conviction.

Judge James Welsh wrote his decision on November 23, 2021. He stated that the court's trust in Kevin's conviction was gone. He ordered that Kevin Strickland be released immediately. Kevin walked free after spending more than 42 years in prison.

About Kevin's Life

Kevin Strickland was born on June 7, 1959. He has one daughter. After spending so many years in prison, Kevin uses a wheelchair. He has also had health problems, including heart attacks and high blood pressure.

His father passed away in 2011. Sadly, his mother, Rosetta Thornton, died on August 21, 2021. This was just a few months before Kevin was finally set free. Before his release, Kevin said he really wanted to see the ocean.

Help After Release

Even though Kevin Strickland spent the longest time wrongly imprisoned in Missouri's history, he could not get money from the state. Missouri law only allows compensation if a person is proven innocent by DNA evidence. Kevin's case did not involve DNA.

However, a group called the Midwest Innocence Project started a fundraising campaign for him online. They used a website called GoFundMe. By the time he was released, people had donated over $200,000. If his case had qualified for state compensation, the amount could have been much higher. In other states, people in similar situations have received over $20 million. In just a few days after his release, donations grew quickly. The amount raised went over $1 million from more than 14,000 people.

See also

In Spanish: Kevin Strickland para niños