This morning, Ricky Jackson and Wiley Bridgeman walked out of jail, free men for the first time in nearly 40 years.
The two had been convicted of a 1975 murder on Cleveland’s near east side, along with Wiley’s brother Ronnie Bridgeman (who was released on parole in 2003), based on the testimony of a 13-year-old witness. Ricky Jackson had been pinned as the trigger man.
A 2011 Scene investigation into the case, which found the child’s account was a lie told as a result of police coercion and threats, also pointed out numerous other holes in the state’s evidence. The story led the Ohio Innocence project to take up the case.
Earlier this year, armed with a signed affidavit from the witness, Edward Vernon, recanting his original testimony, lawyers sought a new trial for Ricky Jackson, now 59 years old and with 39 years of wrongful incarceration under his belt.
A two-day hearing this week culminated with Cuyahoga County prosecutor Tim McGinty announcing the state would drop its opposition to defense counsel’s motion for a new trial and dismiss all charges.
Ricky Jackson, after some paperwork completed early this morning, walked free.
So did Wiley Bridgeman, who, except for a brief stint out of jail in 2002, had been in lockup since the conviction. All three had originally been on death row until 1978 when the Supreme Court shot down the death penalty and commuted all death sentences to life in prison.
Stay tuned. We’ll have much more on this story in the coming days and weeks.
This article appears in Nov 19-25, 2014.
Good work!
Hurray!
What a sad tale of abuse by the criminal justice system.
Even with prosecutor and police misconduct, the kids testimony was shot full of wholes by other witnesses. I don’t see how in the world these guys could have been convicted. Then again it was 1975 and 3 black kids were accused of killing a white guy. Case closed.
So the state wrongfully stole over half of a persons life. 40 years. And this is supposed to be in service of the public? No, this is terror upon the public. In a for profit prison nation, one can bet that this is not even near the only case similar to this. He better get millions from the state, which still does not do justice for what he was put through. And not off of the taxpayers back. If what they had to pay out (the police department or city or whomever) breaks them, then let it crumble, and it will be for the best of all of us. this is sad. I am happy for them to now be ‘free,’ but he and we are still in america and our leaders and system need reformed, when things like this and others are happening, the notion of Freedom in America is nothing but a false facade of thin words.
Wiley Bridgeman you still look good inspite of it all.
No matter what your race what a sad injustice the states and governments have given children too many rites that is why teachers and principals and parents get tired and walk out!
They should make a movie about this heart felt story, they would all be millionaires. Although no money can ever take back the 39 years he has spent inside 😔