Richmond Times Dispatch: Court clears inmate in one of two 1984 rapes

Published: September 19, 2009

The Supreme Court of Virginia has exonerated an inmate on one of his two rape convictions after DNA evidence tied another man to the crime.

It is the first time the court has granted a "writ of actual innocence" based on biological evidence.

The writ was issued for Thomas E. Haynesworth, who was convicted in 1984 of raping a woman in Richmond.

But Haynesworth won't be leaving prison anytime soon. He was sentenced to 64 years in prison on another rape and related crimes in Henrico County.

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Further analysis identified another suspect, Leon Davis, the so-called "Black Ninja" who is serving seven life terms for a series of sex attacks in Richmond and Henrico.

In addition to the Richmond rape for which he has been cleared, Haynesworth is being held for convictions that include a Jan. 30, 1984, rape in Henrico.

Although Haynesworth believes Davis was responsible for that attack, too, it appears no biological evidence remains for testing. Haynesworth, 44, and Davis, 45, share the same blood type, once knew each other and lived in the same East End neighborhood at the start of 1984.

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... of declaring him innocent, and given that he has served 25 years, unless the second crime was murder and there is considerable reason for a court to think that the verdict is beyond question, then I'd be OK with letting this guy out. Sixty-four year sentence on a rape though, makes me think that either the rape was especially awful, or the sentence is suspiciously severe.

:evilfrown:

Please explain.