Pennsylvania Judge Overturns Convictions of Three Men in 1997 Slaying Case

Pennsylvania Judge Overturns Convictions of Three Men Imprisoned for Decades

After spending decades in prison for a crime they claim they did not commit, Derrick Chappell, Morton Johnson, and Sam Grasty have had their convictions overturned by a Pennsylvania judge. The case in question involved the 1997 slaying of a 70-year-old woman, Henrietta Nickens, in Chester, Pennsylvania.

DNA Evidence and Questionable Convictions

Despite their DNA never matching that found at the crime scene, the three young men from the neighborhood were charged and convicted. This was despite the prosecution's various theories of the case being described as "preposterous" by Paul Casteleiro, Grasty’s lawyer and legal director of the nonprofit Centurion.

The evidence showed that semen found in the victim’s body and on a jacket at the scene did not match any of them. The prosecution's explanation for the lack of a DNA match was considered absurd, with theories such as the victim having consensual sex before the slaying or the defendants bringing a used condom to the scene being put forward.

Appeal Decision and Bail Hearing

Common Pleas Court Judge Mary Alice Brennan threw out the convictions and set a May 23 bail hearing to determine if county prosecutors will seek a new trial. District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer plans to review the case before making a decision next week.

Reaction and Legal Action

After the judge's decision, Paul Casteleiro, the lawyer representing one of the defendants, stated, "This case never should have been prosecuted. These guys never should have been charged. The evidence always was that they were innocent." The Pennsylvania Innocence Project also worked on the case, and the men, now in their 40s, had filed petitions in federal court over the years claiming they were wrongly convicted.

Next Steps and Possible Retrial

The Delaware County judge has ordered new trials for the three men while the District Attorney plans to review the case before deciding whether to seek a new trial. The men will remain in prison for the time being while the legal process unfolds.