Faces of Wrongful Conviction: Rodney Lincoln

In 1982, Rodney Lincoln was wrongfully convicted of the murder of JoAnn Tate and an attack on her two young daughters. Lincoln was convicted based on a combination of false testimony by the daughters who were young and coached into testifying by police, and incorrect DNA testing.

Rodney Lincoln at the time of his arrest

Since his incarceration, the daughters, who were the only eyewitnesses, have recanted their testimony saying that they support the exoneration and release of Rodney Lincoln. Despite multiple efforts for retrial, Lincoln was shot down time and time again. Finally, in 2018, the outgoing governor of Missouri commuted his sentence.

Rodney Lincoln 36 years after his wrongful conviction

Though his sentence was commuted and Rodney Lincoln was able to leave prison, his conviction was not overturned meaning that the court does not recognize his innocence. In a press release by the Midwest Innocence Project, Tricia Bushnell, Executive Director, wrote Lincoln’s story is “a big step toward justice, but until his conviction is overturned, justice is yet again denied.”