Georgia innocence project helps their 13th person walk out of prison after being wrongfully convicted

FLOYD COUNTY MAN RELEASED AFTER MORE THAN 25 YEARS OF WRONGFUL IMPRISONMENT, CLEARED OF 1996 DEATH OF FRIEND 

Lee Clark was exonerated and immediately released after a prosecutor and judge agreed that newly-discovered evidence calls the State’s case into question. 

ROME, Ga. December 8, 2022 - On Thursday afternoon, Darrell Lee Clark walked out of the Floyd County Jail and into the arms of family in time to celebrate his first Christmas as a free man in more than two decades. His release came just moments after a hearing on his extraordinary motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence. The Rome Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office agreed that Clark’s conviction should be overturned and quickly dismissed all underlying charges against Clark, officially exonerating him of the 1996 shooting death of his friend. 

“You never think something like that is going to happen to you,” said Lee Clark, who was arrested when he was just 17 years old. “Never would I have thought I would spend more than half my life in prison, especially for something I didn’t do. I'm just glad the truth finally came to light after 25 years. I'm so thankful for the Georgia Innocence Project and Proof Podcast for what they did. Without them, I would still be in prison." 

Clark is currently represented by two lawyers from the nonprofit Georgia Innocence Project (GIP), Senior Attorney Christina Cribbs and Accountability Counsel Meagan Hurley. GIP took on Clark’s case in 2021. “We are elated to see Lee and his family finally obtain the justice that is so long overdue. This would not have been possible without the Bowling family’s support and a district attorney’s office that was willing to take an objective, new look at an old case,” said Cribbs. “The Bowling family suffered a great loss when Brian died. Their strength, open minds, willingness to question information that has been presented as ‘fact,’ and quest for the truth is inspiring.” 

Clark’s exoneration followed filings by his attorneys largely predicated upon new evidence of police misconduct during law enforcement’s initial investigation into the case, including threats made to a main witness and other witness manipulation. 

“Official misconduct was certainly a contributing factor in Lee’s case, just as it has been in over 50% of wrongful conviction cases. What we should take away from this is that unfettered power, without proper checks and balances, leaves ripe the opportunity for mistakes and misconduct. Proper oversight, coupled

with educational initiatives designed to prevent and correct wrongful convictions, is key,” said Hurley. “Prosecutors have a duty to see that justice is done in their cases, and that must include a commitment to principles of integrity, equity, and accountability. It is imperative that they are willing to take corrective action when they see injustice, including when the injustice is perpetrated by police.” 

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