On April 25, 1989, James Richardson was exonerated after spending 21 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit—the poisoning deaths of his seven children in 1967. A Florida fruit picker, Richardson was wrongfully convicted after flawed police work, suppressed evidence, and false testimony.
His neighbor, Bessie Reece, had poisoned the children’s lunch, but jurors never learned of her criminal past or her later confession. Special prosecutor Janet Reno reopened the case, uncovering the truth and leading to Richardson’s release on May 5, 1989.
Though he received a small settlement, he was denied full compensation from the state. Reece was never indicted. James Richardson passed away in 2023, a symbol of justice delayed but not denied.
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