Convicting the Innocent
DNA Exonerations Database

Marcellius Bradford

First NameMarcellius
Last NameBradford
Year of Conviction1988
Year of Exoneration2010
Testing inculpated culpritNon-Cold Hit
State of ConvictionIllinois
Trial, Bench Trial, or Guilty PleaGuilty Plea
Type of CrimeRape and Murder
Death SentenceNo
Gender of ExonereeMale
Race of exonereeBlack
JuvenileYes
Types of evidence at trial
  • Confession
  • Informant
Were non-public facts alleged?Yes
Examples of Non-Public or Corroborated Facts and Inconsistencies

● Victim was hit with a brick – then changed in the statements to a piece of concrete ● Victim was kicked BUT ● Testified victim found inside car when found outside. ● Did not initially name Saunders, then did at trial; also named other persons never located.

Here is an excerpt of the trial testimony.

Quotes from law enforcement testimony

Guilty plea case – Bradford himself testified in co-defendants’ trials

Quotes from prosecution arguments

At Larry Ollins’ trial: “So, when Marcellius Bradford told you Larry Ollins did that, it fits the evidence. And you know he was telling the truth.” He described crime scene footprints and noted that they are “more evidence to show you that Marcellius Bradford accurately truly described to you what happened that day.”

Interrogation RecordedWritten signed statement
Jailhouse informant, Co-defendant, Incentivized WitnessCD
Highest level reachedNR

Read more about this exoneration

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