New Trials Ordered for Three Men in 1997 Murder Case

A judge's decision highlights the role of DNA evidence in challenging decades-old convictions.

Three Philadelphia-area men, Derrick Chappell, Samuel Grasty, and Morton Johnson, have been granted new trials in the 1997 murder case of Henrietta Nickens after a judge ruled that new DNA evidence suggests their innocence.
DNA evidence obtained from the crime scene did not match any of the three men, pointing instead to an unknown individual.
The men, who were convicted largely based on the testimony of a teenage lookout, have maintained their innocence for over two decades.
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer now has 30 days to decide whether to appeal the decision or drop the case.
The case has drawn comparisons to other wrongful convictions, highlighting issues with reliance on eyewitness testimony and the absence of DNA evidence.