11 States with Highest Number of Exonerations

5. Michigan

Number of exonerated convicts: 60

Exonerated convict who served the longest time in prison: Edward George Carte (35 years)

Edward George Carte spent 35 years in prison for sexual assault and robbery he did not commit before fingerprints analysis put another sex offender at the crime scene. The case against Carte seemed solid since the victim identified Carte as the attacker on two occasions – first in a photo line-up, and then during in-person line-up.

Evidence which proved Carte’s innocence were equally strong. However, his appointed defense lawyer failed to use them during the trial. According to NRE, the lawyer was a recent graduate who made numerous mistakes due to lack of experience. First, she did not request an analysis of fingerprints, and then she “failed to note that serology tests showed the semen was not Carte’s blood type”. In 2010, after fingerprints analysis proved that another sex offender was present at the crime scene, the conviction was vacated and Carte was released.