Mcclendon is one of 30 inmates in ohio who were identified to have legitimate claims of innocence in the investigation conducted by the columbus dispatch together with the ohio innocence project. Of these inmates cases, 14 have been approved for dna testing by the respective presiding judges and county prosecutors offices. Hello truth, robert mcclendon of columbus walks into a courtroom in. Robert mcclendon news the columbus dispatch columbus, oh. Ohio man imprisoned for 18 years freed after dna test. Columbus oh 43215 do not sell my personal information cookie policy do not sell my. Robert mcclendon obituary columbus, oh the columbus. Mcclendon planned to go to the home of a relative in columbus on monday. Mcclendon robert louis mcclendon, bobbie, passed away in his home april 10, 2008. Columbus dispatch obituaries 1985 2020 columbus, oh. Robert mcclendon seventeen years after robert mcclendon was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for allegedly raping his own daughter, a joint investigation by the ohio innocence project and the columbus dispatch led to dna testing that proved his innocence and exonerated him of the crime.
Robert mcclendon served 18 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of the rape of a 10 year old girl. Robert mcclendon national registry of exonerations. Randy ludlow is a senior reporter for the columbus dispatch and blogs on open. Columbus, ohio a judge freed a man monday who had spent nearly 18 years in prison on a charge of raping a 10yearold girl after a lab reexamining cases across ohio showed that his dna. On august 11, 2008, ohio exoneree robert mcclendon was released from prison and exonerated after serving 18 years for a rape of a 10 year old girl he did not commit. Bobbie lived in columbus all his life and was retired from loeb electric where he worked for many years. Fiftyfouryearold robert mcclendon was released in august 2008. After 83 people serve 888 years for crimes they didnt do, ohio. Robert mcclendon j, 69 macon, ga has court or arrest. Robert mcclendon celebrates 11 years of freedom today. Dispatch sponsored imagination library provides a free book each month to lowndes county children under the age of 5. Seventeen years after robert mcclendon was sentenced to life in prison for allegedly raping his own daughter, a joint investigation by the ohio innocence project and the columbus dispatch led to dna testing that proved his innocence and exonerated him of the crime. Can ohio end wrongful convictions that sent 83 to prison over past. Robert mcclendon celebrates the freedom denied to him in prison during the 18 years he.
The dispatch daily newspapers for columbus, starkville. Find robert mcclendon s phone number, address, and email on spokeo, the leading online directory for contact information. The ohio innocence project, in conjunction with the columbus dispatch, selected mcclendon s case as one of 30 that best advanced dna evidence standards. It was an exchange with columbus dispatch reporter mike wagner, whose reporting plays prominently in. Robert is related to grace wilhite mcclendon and jennifer j mcclendon. Seventeen years after robert mcclendon was sentenced to 15 years to.
Robert mcclendon in texas tx 31 records found whitepages. Convicted rapist released after testing wrought by. Dna test frees convicted ohio rapist us news crime. The obituary was featured in the columbus dispatch on april 17, 2008. Mcclendon agreed the windows were a problem and only received a warning. Robert mcclendons phone number, email, address spokeo. Wrongful convictions continue to afflict ohios justice system, the. Also sitting in the courtroom today was robert mcclendon, a columbus man released in august after serving 18 years for a child rape that dna showed he didnt commit. The columbus dispatch shari lewis dispatch joseph r. Dna clears ohio man of rape after 18 years cbs news. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and. The ohio innocence project delivered the test results yesterday. Ohio wrongly convicted man goes free ray towler prison.
Greeted by family members wearing shirts saying hello truth, robert mcclendon of columbus walks into a courtroom in 2008 moments. It was an exchange with columbus dispatch reporter mike wagner, whose reporting. Hello truth has meaning for robert mcclendon, ddcs dna diagnostics center first innocence network exoneree who was freed through forensic dna testing in 2008. The ohio innocence project and the columbus dispatch series on test of convictions helped mcclendon get dna testing that provided evidence that the crime was committed by someone else. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as.
Robert mcclendon national registry of exonerations michigan law. Randy ludlow is a senior reporter for the columbus dispatch and blogs on open government and transparency. In 2007 and 2008, working closely together, the ohio innocence project and reporters from the columbus dispatch along with an ohio lab who dna tested the evidence for free, found that the semen that was found on. The top state of residence is texas, followed by california. Dna test frees convicted ohio rapist after 18 years in. Innocence project august, 2017 17 years after robert mcclendon was sentenced to life in prison for allegedly raping his own daughter, a joint investigation by the ohio innocence project and the columbus dispatch led to dna testing that proved him innocent. The ohio innocence project, in conjunction with the columbus dispatch. They have also lived in dallas, tx and rockwall, tx plus 1 other location. Testing also has confirmed the guilt of four others. Columbus dispatch robert mcclendon celebrates the night. We found 253 records in 38 states for robert mcclendon in the us.
Robert mcclendon was wrongly convicted in april 1991 of the april 1990 kidnapping and rape of a 10yearold girl. Mcclendon is one of 30 inmates in ohio who were identified to have. Dna evidence in the case shows robert mcclendon might be telling. Fears luck changed, however, when ohio innocence project client robert mcclendon was exonerated in fears county in 2008. Meet our exonerees university of cincinnati college of law. Robert mcclendon innocents database of exonerations. Robert mcclendon spent 17 years in prison for the rape and kidnapping of his own tenyearold daughter. Dna diagnostics center, a lab north of cincinnati, agreed to conduct tests on mcclendon and other inmates for free as a public service after the columbus dispatch published a series in january. Robert mcclendon rejoins his family as a free man the columbus. The average robert mcclendon is around 52 years of age with around 47% falling in to the age group of 5160. In july 2008 dna testing of semen on the girls underwear preserved in the rape kit excluded mcclendon as her. Ohio house oks bill setting dna standards, lineup procedures. The suburban police officer pulled over robert mcclendon mainly because the tinted windows on his luxury car were too dark.
Find robert mcclendon s phone number, address, and email on spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. During 18 years in prison, the columbus man has steadfastly denied the rape. View full size shari lewis columbus dispatch robert mcclendon, of columbus, was released in august 2008 after spending nearly 18 years in prison. Shortly after sunrise, the inmates in the stark prison yard cheered wildly and pumped their fists for robert mcclendon as he took his final steps toward freedom. After 18 years, dna test frees man from prison wbns10tv. Even more so after the april 10, 2011, ddc forensics unveiling of ddcs newly named dna analyzer, hello truth, in honor of mcclendon and his poem by the same name. His exoneration in 2008 came after advanced dna testing proved he did not contribute to the evidence found on the girls underwear. An update on the ohio ip and columbus dispatch project, 5. Testing exonerated robert mcclendon and joseph fears, both of columbus, and ray towler, of cleveland, who served a combined 72 years for rapes they didnt commit. Inmate robert mcclendon walked into a prison conference room yesterday with. Man celebrates 5 years of freedom wbns10tv columbus. At ross correctional institution, mcclendon and fears enjoyed schooling the young guys on the basketball court. Five could not be tested because their evidence had been lost or destroyed. Mcclendon appeared in a columbus courtroom, still in handcuffs and leg shackles, wearing jeans.
It was denied to him in prison during the 18 years he spent confined for a rape he did not commit. Bellefontaine examiner bellefontaine buckeye lake beacon buckeye lake chillicothe gazette chillicothe circleville herald circleville business first columbus columbus alive columbus. But during the traffic stop last summer, mcclendon had taken off his seat belt to reach for his registration and was eventually cited for not wearing. Log in or sign up for facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know.
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