Michigan Man Wrongly Convicted of Sexual Assault Freed After 35 Years Due to DNA Evidence

Louis Wright, 65, was released after new DNA testing excluded him as the perpetrator in a 1988 case; his conviction was based on a non-recorded confession and a no-contest plea, with the victim never asked to identify anyone in court.

Louis Wright, a 65-year-old Michigan man, was released from prison after serving 35 years for a sexual assault conviction from 1988 that has now been overturned due to new DNA evidence.
Wright was initially identified as a suspect after an off-duty officer reported seeing him in the neighborhood where the assault of an 11-year-old girl took place.
Despite the police claiming Wright confessed to the crime, the interview was not recorded, he did not sign a confession, and the victim was never asked to identify anyone in or outside of court.
Wright pleaded no-contest to the charges, which is treated as a guilty plea for sentencing purposes, and was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison. It remains unclear why he decided to plead no-contest.
The case is being reopened, and Wright could be eligible for $1.75 million in compensation under a state law that grants $50,000 for each year spent in prison for a conviction overturned based on new evidence.