ST. JOSEPH, MO – The Innocence Project reports this December, after 44 years of being wrongfully incarcerated, Sandra Hemme was exonerated from a murder case in 1980—a police officer was found guilty of the crime.
According to the statement from Innocence Project, Hemme “was the longest-known wrongfully incarcerated woman in American history.”
Hemme’s conviction rested on confessions obtained while she was placed under the influence of strong medications at a state psychiatric hospital, reported by the Innocence Project, adding Hemme was under immense physical pain, as well, during these times.
These unlawful statements, said the Innocence Project, recently held by a Habeas court to be unreliable, were the sole evidence against Hemme during her 1985 trial.
“As the case against her developed, the St. Joseph Police Department hid evidence implicating one of their own,” according to the Innocence Project
The project added a police officer was seen using the victim’s credit card the day after the murder, and his truck was spotted near the victim’s home around the time of her death…and the victim’s earrings were later found hidden in his residence.
“The only evidence linking Ms. Hemme to the crime was that of her own inconsistent, disproven statements, statements that were taken while she was in psychiatric crisis and physical pain,” the Innocence Project quoted the Habeas court.
The Innocence Project stated the court opined the evidence implicating the police officer was so significant “it would be difficult to imagine that the State could prove Ms. Hemme’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt based on the weight of the evidence now available that ties (the officer) to this victim and crime and excludes Ms. Hemme.”
The Innocence Project said, according to Andrew Lee, Hemme’s attorney from the Innocence Project, Hemme since her release “has been savoring every minute with her family. She is grateful to celebrate the holidays with her mother, siblings, granddaughter, nieces and nephews, now that she is finally and fully free.”
