In 2009, William Johnson was wrongfully convicted of a 2005 murder despite being acquitted two years earlier at a trial built on faulty testimony. At his retrial, a co-defendant’s written statement was used against him, even though that co-defendant admitted he had lied and refused to testify. William had no chance to question him. The PA Innocence Project investigation uncovered major flaws, including problems with one witness’s testimony and an undisclosed recantation from another. They were also able to present DNA evidence in William’s favor. In 2023, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania asked the court to dismiss the charges, citing “egregious” constitutional violations. William won relief.
Even while incarcerated, he stayed close to his large family writing children’s stories for his niece, some of which are now being published.
He joined Dr. Peterson to share his story on this week's premiere of the "Exonerated: The Cost of Wrongful Conviction" segment on Evening WURDs.
