How much did Ryan Ferguson win in a civil suit?
Winning $11m through a civil suit against his persecutors. Ryan W. Ferguson (born October 19, 1984) is an American man who spent nearly 10 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of a 2001 murder in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri. At the time of the murder, Ferguson was a 17-year-old high-school student.
Who is Ryan Ferguson and what did he do?
Ryan Ferguson, the Columbia man released from prison in 2013 when his conviction was thrown out after he was jailed 10 years for murder, won an $11 million judgment in federal court Monday.
Why did Ryan Ferguson get out of prison?
On November 12, 2013, Ryan Ferguson walked out of prison after serving nine years and eight months for a crime he did not commit. Though it was ultimately his friend Chucks testimony that put him in prison for nearly 10 years, he harbors no anger or blame toward him.
What was the verdict in the Ferguson v Columbia case?
At the end of a four-hour bench trial, Judge Nanette Laughrey awarded Ferguson $1 million for each year he was in prison and $1 million to cover legal expenses after finding that six Columbia Police Department officers violated Ferguson’s rights by fabricating evidence to win a conviction. “We’ve got admitted liability.
Who was Ryan Ferguson wrongfully convicted of?
Ryan Ferguson: Wrongfully Convicted 44:38. Produced by Gail Zimmerman. "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty has followed the case of Ryan Ferguson since 2005, when he went on trial for the murder of newspaper sports editor Kent Heitholt. From the beginning, there was just something not right about this case: no forensic evidence ...
How long was Ryan Ferguson sentenced?
With two eyewitnesses against him, Ryan Ferguson was doomed. He was found guilty and sentenced to 40 years.
What did Erickson tell Ryan Ferguson?
Eventually, Erickson told them what they wanted to hear. He said that he and Ryan Ferguson had run out of drinking money and decided to get more by robbing someone:
How many appeals did Ryan Ferguson have?
Seven years after the original trial - after 11 failed appeals -- Ryan Ferguson is back in court asking a judge to overturn his conviction. Kathleen Zellner calls police interrogation expert Joseph Buckley to the stand.
How long did Erickson testify against Ferguson?
Erickson took a plea -- 25 years, and agreed to testify against Ferguson. "It's beyond comprehension that Ryan could ever be in this situation," Ferguson's father, Bill, told Moriarty. "It just tears at your heart.".
When were Ryan Ferguson and Chuck Erickson arrested?
The booking photos of Chuck Erickson, left, and Ryan Ferguson, taken at the Boone County Jail after their arrests on March 10, 2004. Columbia Police Department. In March 2004, both men were arrested and charged with murder. Erickson took a plea -- 25 years, and agreed to testify against Ferguson.
When did Erickson take the stand?
When Charles Erickson takes the stand at Ryan Ferguson's 2012 hearing, it is the first time since the trial that the men come face to face in court.
How much money did Ferguson get from 13 defendants?
It was reported back in 2014 that Ferguson was seeking $100 million from 13 defendants. Zellner had no comment on the amount he will receive in the settlement but said the suit was not for $100 million. "The confusion about the $100 million figure apparently came from the original complaint which sought $10 million for each count ...
Who was the lawyer for Ferguson?
Represented by noted post-conviction lawyer Kathleen Zellner, Ferguson sued members of the Columbia Police Department and a former prosecutor. The settlement agreement has not been signed as of Thursday morning, but it is expected to be finalized within the next two weeks. The amount of the settlement has not been disclosed.
How long did the Heitholt case go unsolved?
The case went unsolved for two years until Erickson read a newspaper article about the case that included a sketch of a suspect. Believing the sketch resembled him, Erickson became nervous and told two friends that he may have had a role in the crime but couldn't remember because he blacked out the night Heitholt was killed. His friends notified police, and Erickson was brought in for questioning.
Is Erickson still in jail?
The State of Missouri announced after Ferguson's conviction was vacated that they would not retry him. Erickson remains behind bars.
When was Ferguson convicted?
Ferguson was convicted in the fall of 2005 on the basis of Erickson's testimony as well as that of a building employee. Both witnesses later recanted their testimony, claiming that police and prosecuting attorney Kevin Crane, now a circuit court judge, had coerced them to lie.
How much did Ferguson get for his case?
Ferguson won the suit and was awarded $11 million—$1 million for each year that he had spent in prison and $1 million for legal expenses. Ferguson's case has been cited by the National Registry of Exonerations as an exoneration.
What did Erickson say about the Heitholt robbery?
I could be sitting here fabricating all of it." At one point he was asked questions about the weapon used to strangle Heitholt. Erickson replied that he thought it was a shirt. When the police officer told him that it was not, he replied, "Maybe a bungee cord ?" Eventually the officer told Erickson that the weapon was Heitholt's own belt. Erickson replied, "I don't remember that at all." After much prodding by investigators, Erickson eventually told them that he and Ferguson robbed Heitholt for drinking money. In March 2004, Erickson and Ferguson were arrested and charged with the murder.
What time did Ferguson and Erickson return to the bar?
Erickson had testified at Ferguson's original trial that following the murder, he and Ferguson returned to the bar around 2:45 a.m. and were admitted by the same bouncer, Mike Schook, who had admitted them earlier. Erickson claimed on the stand that he and Ferguson had left the bar between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m. However, Schook testified that the bar had closed at 1:30 that morning, and bar patron Kim Bennett testified that Erickson and Ferguson departed between 1:15 and 1:30 a.m., disproving Erickson's claims that they had returned to the bar following the murder.
Why did Ferguson and Erickson meet their sister?
Ferguson and Erickson later proceeded to meet Ferguson's sister at a bar called By George, because a bouncer who worked there would admit them despite their age. After the two men had spent all of their money at the bar, Ferguson's sister bought them a few additional drinks before they departed.
Why did Erickson not remember the night of the murder?
Erickson testified in the habeas hearing that he could not remember the evening of the murder because he was so intoxicated with drugs and alcohol that night that he had blacked out, causing his anterograde amnesia.
How long was Ryan Ferguson in jail?
Winning $11m through a civil suit against his persecutors. Ryan W. Ferguson (born October 19, 1984) is an American man who spent nearly 10 years in prison after being convicted of a 2001 murder in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri. At the time of the murder, Ferguson was a 17-year-old high-school student.
Why did Ferguson not get a fair trial?
An appeals court vacated the conviction in 2013, saying Ferguson didn’t receive a fair trial because the prosecutor’s office withheld evidence from defense attorneys.
How much did Columbia pay for a man in prison?
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) – The Missouri Court of Appeals has ruled that two insurance providers for the city of Columbia must pay $5.3 million to a man who spent nearly a decade in prison before his conviction for killing a Columbia sports editor was vacated.
How long was Ryan Ferguson in jail?
Ryan Ferguson, the Columbia man released from prison in 2013 when his conviction was thrown out after he was jailed 10 years for murder, won an $11 million judgment in federal court Monday.
What is an Alford plea?
In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges that enough evidence exists to secure a guilty verdict.
Who was the reporter that was convicted of murder in the 2001 murder of Kent Heitholt?
Ferguson was convicted in 2005 of the 2001 murder of Tribune Sports Editor Kent Heitholt. A three-judge panel of the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District ordered his convictions for robbery and murder vacated in November 2013. Charles Erickson, a friend of Ferguson who testified against him, later recanted his testimony and said it had been coerced.
Did the Ferguson trial cover constitutional violations?
The trial only covered how much Ferguson would be awarded, not whether the officers were guilty of constitutional violations. At the start of the trial, Laughrey asked the attorneys to explain the settlement of liability. Attorney Brad Letterman, who represented the officers, tried hard to tell her that it was not an admission of liability but instead an agreement that liability would likely be proven if a trial occurred.
What happened to Erickson and Ferguson?
They left around closing time (1:30am), says Ferguson, and Erickson was too inebriated to drive, so Ferguson drove him home. After he dropped Erickson off, he drove himself home, sat outside and made a few phone calls on his cell phone before going into the house for the night. (Cell phone records confirmed that he was on his phone until 2:09am.) His story was simple and it never changed. Ericksons dreams were just that dreams and he should not have believed them as truth.
Did Ryan and Chuck get charged with Kent Heitholt's murder?
All they needed was a confession from Chuck, and they would be able to charge both of them with the murder of Kent Heitholt. After hours of talking to the police, Chuck finally gave in and told them what they wanted to hear, and both he and Ryan were charged with the murder. Because of his dreams and coercion from police, Chuck believed he and Ryan killed Heitholt in a robbery gone wrong. He ultimately was arranged a plea agreement to be the prosecutions star witness in Fergusons trial.
Who is Ryan Ferguson?
Ryan Ferguson is an American man who spent nearly a decade in prison for the 2001 murder of Kent Heitholt. Kent’s murder remained unsolved for two years after he was found beaten and strangled in the parking lot of the Columbia Daily Tribune, where he worked as an editor. A break in the case happened when Ferguson’s friend, Charles Erikson, ...
Why did the prosecution refuse to ask Shawna Ornt to identify Ferguson?
At the trial, the prosecution refused to ask her to identify Ferguson because they knew that her answer would ruin their case, Shawna added. The court found there to be enough evidence to set aside the conviction.
How long did Charles Erikson get a plea deal?
Authorities offered Charles Erikson a 25-year plea deal in exchange for his testimony against Ryan. After his exoneration, Ryan vowed to fight for Charles’ release. “I know that he [Charles] was used and manipulated and I kind of feel sorry for the guy,” Ryan said . “He needs help, he needs support, he doesn’t belong in prison.”
How much is the Ferguson family reward?
The Ferguson family has offered a $10,000 reward for tips that may help resolve the case.
What is Ryan's mission?
Ryan’s mission is to help wrongfully convicted people get out of prison. Immediately after his release, Ryan stated that it ‘takes an army’ to get a person out of prison. A positively beaming Ferguson waved at droves of supporters during a press conference held after he ditched his prison attire for a sweater and shirt. ...
Why didn't Ryan make a voluntary plea?
His attorneys filed an appeal in June 2020, claiming that Ryan is innocent and that he didn’t make a voluntary plea because police withheld and fabricated evidence. “This petition was a very long time coming,” Charles’ attorney, Landon Magnusson, told ABC.
How long was Ryan in jail for Kent's murder?
Charles was high and intoxicated that night, and couldn’t remember anything that happened, but via his testimony, the prosecution convinced the court to sentence Ryan to 40 years in prison for Kent’s murder. Ten years after his conviction, the Western District of the Missouri Court of Appeals vacated Ryan’s sentence.
Overview
Ryan W. Ferguson (born October 19, 1984) is an American man who spent nearly 10 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of a 2001 murder in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri. At the time of the murder, Ferguson was a 17-year-old high-school student.
Kent Heitholt was found beaten and strangled shortly after 2 a.m. on Novembe…
Murder
In the early morning hours of November 1, 2001, 48-year-old Kent Heitholt was murdered in the parking lot of the Columbia Daily Tribune, where he worked as a sports editor. He was last seen alive by co-worker Michael Boyd, who told police that he had a work-related conversation with Heitholt in the parking lot between 2:12 and 2:20 a.m.
Investigation
Ornt told police that she got a good look at the young men, while Trump reported that he was unable to see them clearly. Police recovered unidentified fingerprints on and inside Heitholt's car, as well as an unidentified hair in his hand. Police also recovered footprints from the blood at the crime scene. Ornt provided police with a description of the men and a composite sketch was drawn.
Trial
The government offered Erickson a plea deal in exchange for testimony against Ferguson at his trial, which took place in 2005. Along with Erickson, Trump testified that he had seen Erickson and Ferguson at the scene. Trump testified that while he was in jail on unrelated charges, his wife sent him a news article about the crime. He claims that as he removed the newspaper from the envelope, he saw photos of Erickson and Ferguson and immediately recognized them as the tw…
Conviction vacated, charges dismissed
Following the conviction, Ferguson gained a following with wrongful-conviction advocacy groups. In 2009, high-profile Chicago attorney Kathleen Zellner took over Ferguson's case, working pro bono. In 2012, both Erickson and Trump recanted their trial testimony in statements obtained by Zellner and her investigator. In the subsequent habeas corpus hearing, both Erickson and Trump admitted that they had lied at Ferguson's trial.
Civil rights suit
On March 11, 2014, Ferguson filed a civil suit against 11 individuals as well as Boone County, Missouri and the city of Columbia in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. The suit alleged suppression of exculpatory evidence, fabrication of evidence, reckless or intentional failure to investigate, malicious prosecution, conspiracy to deprive constitutional rights, false arrest and defamation. The suit also claimed that following Ferguson's release, former prosecut…
Charles Erickson
Charles Erickson remains imprisoned for the crime. He is serving a 25-year sentence in exchange for testifying against Ferguson. Despite the fact that Erickson had implicated him in the crime, Ferguson has vowed to help Erickson with his release from prison. "There are more innocent people in prison, including Erickson... I know that he was used and manipulated and I kind of feel sorry for the guy. He needs help, he needs support, he doesn't belong in prison," Ferguson said. T…
Media coverage
In September 2013, the first book about the Ryan Ferguson case was released: Free Ryan Ferguson: 101 Reasons Why Ryan Ferguson Should Be Released, by Brian D'Ambrosio. The book details allegations of police misconduct and intimidation by prosecutor Kevin Crane. There are also accounts of bogus police reports and alleged witnesses claiming that affidavits against Ferguson were signed in their names. D'Ambrosio proposes alternate theories and examines th…