Convicting the Innocent
DNA Exonerations Database

Ronnie Bullock

First Name Ronnie
Last NameBullock
Year of Conviction1984
Year of Exoneration1994
State of ConvictionIllinois
Trial, Bench Trial, or Guilty PleaTrial
Type of CrimeRape
Death SentenceNo
Gender of ExonereeMale
Race of exonereeBlack
JuvenileNo
Type of Innocence Defense
  • Alibi
Description / Quotes from Testimony Concerning Defense

● Two witness testified to seeing defendant at his home, away from the crime scene at the time of the crime

Did the defendant testify at trial?No
Types of evidence at trial
  • Eyewitness
Identity of eyewitness
  • Intraracial Identificaiton
  • Victim
Multiple eyewitnesses2
Lineup Procedures
  • Composite drawing
  • Lineup
Suggestive Procedures

Yes ● Suggestive line-up – defendant was only person with markings on face

Quotes from testimony #1

Q. Now, of the men that were in that lineup, only one individual had any distinctive markings on his face whatsoever, isn’t that correct? A. Yes, sir. Q. Wouldn’t you say the most distinctive aspect of the description that had been provided by Deanna Lynch were the bumps that she described on the man’s face? A. Yes, sir.

Unreliable Identification?

No ● Discrepancies in description – whether he had pock marks or scars on face

Quotes from testimony #2

Q. But you couldn’t remember whether the man had any facial hair, could you? A. No. “Q. You didn’t tell the police officer that you – That the man that attacked you had pot marks, scars, scratches on his face? A. I didn’t say pot marks, I said bumps.” Also told police that he had “line on his forehead”

Highest level reachedFederalHabeas
Claims Raised During All Appeals and Postconviction
  • Brady
  • Fourth Amendment
  • Ineffective Assistance of Appellate Counsel
  • Jury Instructions
  • Prosecutorial Misconduct
  • Sentencing — Noncapital
  • Sixth Amendment Right to Counsel
  • State Law Evidence Claim
  • Suggestive Eyewitness Identification
  • Willfull Destruction of Material Evidence
Harmless Error Rulings
  • G
  • HE
  • NP
  • OG
Citations to judicial opinions

People v. Bullock, 507 N.E.2d 44 (1987)
People v. Bullock, 515 N.E.2d 115 (Oct. 7, 1987)
U.S., ex rel Bullock v. Roth, 1991 WL 127582 (N.D.Ill. 1991)
U.S., ex rel. Bullock v. Gramley, 1992 WL 206281 (N.D.Ill 1992)

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