Non-IPNO exonerees

When Roland Gibson became a father in November 1967, he went AWOL from the army to avoid serving in Vietnam.

In 1968, Lloyd West, a distant acquaintance of Mr. Gibson, was questioned by the police for the murder of a taxi cab driver. Mr. West lied about being involved in the murder and gave the police three false alibis.

In one, he told police he was involved in the murder but that Mr. Gibson was the shooter and that the gun was at Mr. Gibson's house. Authorities did not find the murder weapon at Mr. Gibson's house, yet Mr. Gibson, who was 21 years-old at the time, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison solely on Mr. West's testimony.

Mr. West also went to prison and later recanted his testimony, completely absolving Mr. Gibson of any involvement in the crime. Mr. West also testified that the police had beaten him until he gave a statement implicating Mr. Gibson.

After this evidence came out, Mr. Gibson's attorney, Ernest Caufield, successfully argued for a new trial.

In 1993, Mr. Gibson was set free after 25 years in prison as a result of the state’s key witness recanting and Mr. Gibson’s lawyers uncovering new Brady evidence suggesting that the state’s key witness was in fact involved in the crime.

Mr. Gibson sued the City of New Orleans and was awarded $11 million. The decision was later reversed.