By Belen Avelar
LOS ANGELES, CA – Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced this week he is determined to exonerate Maurice Hasting’s convictions in a 1983 murder case and find him factually innocent after the discovery of DNA evidence matching another man.
For the 1983 murder of Roberta Wydermyer and two attempted murders, Hastings served more than 38 years in state prison, where he had to undergo a total nightmare trying to prove his innocence and repeatedly getting denied, and hoping that one day a judge would finally declare his innocence, said Paula Mitchell, director of the Los Angeles Innocence Project at California State University’s Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center.
Mitchell said from the time of Hasting’s arrest, he has maintained a positive attitude, even after almost being sentenced to death and his first trial resulting in a hung jury.
He was sentenced to life in state prison without the possibility of parole in 1988, but has managed to maintain his innocence and never stopped fighting for his claim to be heard, added Mitchell.
“Maurice Hastings was able to prove his innocence, in large part, due to the federal funding that Cal State LA’s CFSI has been granted. This funding makes it possible to test DNA evidence in wrongful conviction cases with claims of actual innocence,” said Mitchell.
In 2021, Hastings submitted a claim of innocence with the LA District Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit, including DNA testing showing DNA evidence matched another person, Kenneth Packnett.
“Our Conviction Integrity Unit launched a full investigation into Mr. Hasting’s claim of factual innocence. They interviewed witnesses and carefully reviewed evidence, and determined that we believe Mr. Hastings to be factually innocent of the crimes which occurred 40 years ago,” said District Attorney Gascón.
Judge William C. Ryan from the Los Angeles County Superior Court approved the request for Hastings’ immediate release from prison and vacated his conviction.
