More people have been wrongfully convicted due to digital evidence than most realize.
Through our work with public defenders, we learned about the serious problem of wrongful convictions caused by digital evidence. While we did not set out to drive criminal justice reform, we recognized the need for change and the impact we could make by sharing our knowledge and resources with public defenders both nationwide and globally.
How it Began
In 2015, we launched an initiative to train public defenders in the use of digital evidence. Our goal was to address resource disparities and enhance their skill sets. The training was designed for defense investigators and attorneys, covering topics from basic to advanced. The curriculum was based on best practices and industry standards, aligned with the prevailing quality management system for the relevant disciplines. The training followed accredited standards, with measured learning outcomes achieved through written quizzes, practical hands-on real-world scenarios, skill-testing stations, student surveys, and proficiency testing.
Training Benchmarks
Parity for the defense in cases involving digital evidence so they can:
- Evaluate digital evidence collected by law enforcement
- Properly and proactively identify and collect digital evidence not obtained by law enforcement
- Testify confidently about the actions taken to ensure the reliability of the evidence collected
Measured Learning
Measuring the results of the training took into account that hundreds of people completed some or all of the training modules. Of those surveyed, 100% felt the training was both needed and helpful. All participants who completed the advanced training passed the proficiency-based written and practical skill assessments.
Practical results were observed in the increased use of digital evidence by the defense, which contributed to the prevention of numerous wrongful convictions within the first year of receiving the training.
Wrongful Convictions Prevented
Measured results were captured from a partial study covering a 7-year period. During that time, 12 wrongful convictions were prevented in Connecticut alone. We did not have access to or knowledge of every case, so the actual number could be higher, and the impact could be even greater if applied nationwide.
Post-Conviction Review
Around the same time, and through our work on the wrongful convictions of Vernon Horn and Marquis Jackson in 2018, we discovered that known wrongful convictions linked to digital evidence date back to 1999.
Vernon Horn and Marquis Jackson
Vernon Horn and Marquis Jackson’s case centered around cell site location data stemming from calls made by a cell phone. Just for perspective, in 1999, there were 86.1 million cell phone subscribers in the United States, which was 32% of the population and according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) approximately 11 million people go through the justice system in America each year
The Broader Issue of Wrongful Convictions
When we recognized that the wrongful convictions of Vernon Horn and Marquis Jackson could have been easily prevented with a stronger defense, and after noticing that recent wrongful convictions had been prevented through proactive efforts by the defense following some training, we concluded that a broader issue may exist nationwide, potentially dating back to the late 1990s and affecting hundreds or even thousands of people.
Digital Innocence Initiative
In 2020, we launched the Digital Innocence Initiative to raise awareness of the situation, promote a call for a nationwide post-conviction review in cases involving digital evidence, and identify other cases like Vernon Horn and Marquis Jackson that can still be solved.
We created and shared technical guidance and digital evidence-related resources with other public defenders to help the defense overcome the lack of technological knowledge that contributed to the wrongful conviction in the first place.
Our first outreach was to the Innocence Network, but they expressed no interest at the time. Eventually, the Innocence Network contacted us again. After a brief dialogue, they acknowledged the issue as a blind spot but questioned the potential number of people impacted.
Initial Study on the Impact of Wrongful Convictions
We saw an opportunity to drive meaningful change, recognizing that some of these issues were preventable and solvable. Believing the system could improve, we decided to take a closer look. To determine how many wrongful convictions have occurred involving digital evidence, we conducted our own study, utilizing resources from the Innocence Project and the National Registry of Exonerations, dating back to 1989.
We found that it was well documented that the majority of wrongful convictions stemmed from the misapplication of forensic science, with inadequate or ineffective legal defense identified as the primary contributing factor.
Furthermore, it is noteworthy that digital forensics has not been recognized by the Innocence Project as a forensic discipline contributing to wrongful convictions, and digital evidence was not cited in the National Registry of Exonerations as a contributing factor in the exonerations of Vernon Horn and Marquis Jackson, or in any other cases.
Comprehensive Study of Wrongful Convictions
We then conducted a more comprehensive study of thousands of cases from the National Registry of Exonerations, past wrongfully accused and convicted not listed on the registry, and a survey of recent cases involving emerging technologies like AI, gathered through general internet research and publications on the subject.
Findings
Our study identified at least 28 people who were wrongfully accused and convicted in cases involving digital evidence, dating back to as early as 1999.
Of the 28 individuals identified, 20 were wrongfully convicted and collectively spent approximately 197 years in prison.
Of the 20 people who had been wrongfully convicted, 12 were victims of weak or ineffective defense in cases involving cell phones, provider records, and cell site location data.
Five of the cases involved misapplied digital forensics related to computer evidence, and three involved a weak or ineffective defense in cases involving video.
Twenty of the people who had been wrongfully convicted in cases involving digital evidence were listed in the National Registry of Exonerations, but the cause was not attributed to digital evidence.
Publications by the Innocence Project did not list digital forensics as a forensic science discipline that can cause wrongful convictions, even though some exonerations, achieved through the dedicated work of Innocence Project members, involved digital evidence, specifically cell site location data.
The remaining 8 people identified in the study had been wrongfully accused based on digital evidence and spent a total of approximately 28 days in jail combined.
Two of the eight people wrongfully accused were the result of misapplied computer forensics, while six were wrongfully convicted due to unreliable AI facial recognition.
Conclusions
Our analysis identified that more than half of wrongful convictions resulted from the misapplication of cell site location data, with the predominant contributing factor being a weak or ineffective defense. This remains a blind spot for public defenders and the post-conviction review community. The oldest case of this type dates back to 1999 in New Haven, Connecticut, but a cluster of similar cases was also identified in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Additionally, a stronger, more proactive defense could have led to the collection of more digital evidence than what was presented in the case examples.
Based on the number of people already exonerated, combined with the years that cell phones have been in use and the millions of devices sold during that time, it suggests that there must be many more people wrongfully convicted based on digital evidence.
There is a likely possibility that tens of thousands of wrongful convictions have occurred nationwide over the years—more than anyone knows—due to a lack of technical knowledge, absence of proper tracking, and the need for a nationwide post-conviction review of cases involving digital evidence.
Our analysis has also revealed multiple recent instances in which Black individuals were unjustly accused due to unreliable facial recognition software, including a notable cluster of such cases originating from Detroit, Michigan. This further demonstrates the urgent need for a nationwide review of cases involving facial recognition software.
Recommendations
Overall people have been and will continued to be wrongfully convicted with digital evidence unless something is done.
Overall, people have been—and will continue to be—wrongfully convicted based on digital evidence unless action is taken.
Many of these cases are preventable, and some can still be solved.
There is a blind spot in the defense and post-conviction community due to a lack of technical understanding and tracking, so the issue remains unaddressed.
We believe the system can do better, which is why we decided to take action ourselves—either by finding a way or making one.
Solutions for Prevention
To expand our impact, we have created a nationwide coalition of public defenders, providing them with knowledge and resources related to digital evidence. We also advocate for a nationwide minimum standard of training to prevent wrongful convictions before they occur.
Solutions for Post-Conviction Review
The same free online resource in the Digital Evidence Toolbox that can be used to prevent wrongful convictions can also be utilized in post-conviction reviews. It includes the first-ever criteria for post-conviction review, bridging the technical knowledge gap and providing a potential pathway to freedom for others, like Vernon Horn and Marquis Jackson.
People who have been wrongfully accused and convicted based on digital evidence.
Vernon Horn& Marquis Jackson – Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense: failure to investigate alibi cell site location data
New Haven, Connecticut
34 years spent in prison combined
In 1999, 17-year-old Vernon Horn and 19-year-old Marquis Jackson were arrested and charged with felony robbery, murder, and several other charges following a robbery at the Dixwell Deli in New Haven, CT. A stolen cell phone was a key piece of evidence, and Mr. Horn and Mr. Jackson were convicted in April 2000. Their convictions were based on a combination of a false confession by one of the suspects, the defense’s failure to investigate alibi cell site location data, and the police’s failure to disclose the existence of the cell records in their possession, even after four separate trials.
Leigh Stubbs & Tammy Vance – Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense: failure to investigate video
Lincoln, Mississippi
26 years in prison combined
In early March of 2000, 20-year-old Leigh Stubbs and 31-year-old Tammy Vance were arrested and charged with the serious assault of Kim Williams at a motel. They were convicted at trial in 2001 and sentenced to 44 years in prison based on flawed and misleading bite mark testimony from the notorious forensic odontologist Dr. Michael West, as well as the prosecution’s failure to disclose the FBI report, which contained exculpatory analysis of surveillance video evidence. In 2013, both Leigh Stubbs and Tammy Vance were exonerated.
Lisa Roberts – Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense: failure to investigate cell site location data
Portland, Oregon
10 years in prison
On August 16, 2002, police arrested 37-year-old Lisa Roberts for murder, and in 2004, she was sentenced to 15 years in prison. After spending more than 10 years in prison, her habeas petition was granted in April 2014 based on the defense attorney’s constitutionally ineffective assistance, specifically the failure to investigate the cell tower evidence, take reasonable steps to collect the relevant data, and independently evaluate the reliability of the prosecution’s analysis.
Alfred Brown – Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense: failure to independently investigate phone records
Harris, Texas
10 years in prison
In 2005, 21-year-old Alfred Brown was wrongfully convicted for the murder of a Houston police officer and a store clerk during a robbery in 2003 and sentenced to death. He consistently claimed he was at his girlfriend’s house making phone calls at the time of the murders. After more than 10 years on death row, exculpatory phone records were discovered in the garage of a Houston police officer in 2013, which corroborated Brown’s alibi. These documents also included a subpoena from the trial prosecutor to the phone company, showing that the District Attorney’s Office had the critical phone records at the time of the trial but failed to turn them over to the defense. On June 9, 2015, the charges were dismissed, and Brown was released.
Hassan Bennett – Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense: failure to investigate exculpatory cell phone and records
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
13 years spent in prison
On December 22, 2008, 23-year-old Hassan Bennett was convicted of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and criminal conspiracy, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He told police he had been on the phone when he heard the shots. Later, he was detained and held in lockup with another individual who claimed that Bennett confessed to being involved in the shooting. In 2015, Bennett filed his own PCRA motion, asserting ineffective assistance of counsel due to his trial attorney’s failure to introduce cell phone records that could have shown Bennett’s phone was in use for 31 minutes before, during, and after the time of the shooting. In 2019, after 13 years in jail, a jury acquitted Hassan Bennett.
Michael Fiola – Wrongfully accused
Misapplied forensic science: computer evidence
Suffolk County, Massachusetts
In 2007, Michael Fiola, a former investigator with the Massachusetts workers’ compensation unit, was falsely accused, arrested, and charged with possession of child pornography. An independent computer forensic expert hired by the defense revealed that Fiola’s laptop was severely infected and programmed to visit as many as 40 child pornography websites. Further investigation by the defense found that while Fiola and his wife were out to dinner one night, someone had logged onto the computer, and pornography was downloaded for over an hour and a half. Prosecutors confirmed the defense’s findings and eventually dropped the charges after 11 months. Based on the computer evidence found later, the charges were dropped due to the independent defense expert’s findings, after spending $250,000 on legal fees.
Giovanni Hernandez – Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense: failure to investigate cell site location data
Los Angeles, California
25 years spent in prison
14-year-old Giovanni Hernandez was charged with one count of first-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder for a shooting in 2006 based on a photo array and hearsay evidence and was sentenced to 50 years to life. Hernandez said he was at home when the shooting happened. The police were given access to obtain the call logs, where they were unable to determine location, which showed numerous calls in the early morning of July 30 at the approximate time of the shooting. A new review of the cell phone by the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team showed that stipulation was incorrect. The location of Hernandez’s cell phone was determinable, and the correct cell phone evidence corroborates Hernandez’s claim that he was at home at the time of the incident.
Olin “Pete” Coones – Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense: failure to investigate exculpatory computer evidence
Wyandotte, Kansas
10 years spent in prison
50-year-old Olin “Pete” Coones was arrested and charged with the murder of his father’s housekeeper in 2008. After spending more than 10 years in prison, Pete Coones was released and exonerated in 2017 due to ineffective defense in several areas, including failure to independently investigate exculpatory computer evidence.
Jerome Loach – Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense: Failure to investigate cell phone and records
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
12 years spent in prison
In January of 2010, 42-year-old Jerome Loach was charged with three counts of robbery and single counts of criminal conspiracy, burglary, false imprisonment, terroristic threats, and attempted theft based on cooperating co-defendants who implicated Loach and also claimed he sent a text message just before the home invasion. He was convicted and sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison. Loach said he had an alibi for the night of the home invasion. It was later discovered that cell phone records showed Loach’s phone had no texting capabilities, and the prosecutor misled the jury about other details concerning the cell phone records. After spending 12 years in jail, the appeals court found that the defense attorneys had been ineffective in pursuing an alibi defense and that the state had engaged in misconduct by failing to disclose accurate phone records.
Patrick Murray – Wrongfully convicted
misapplied cell site location data accuracy
Queens, New York
3 years spent in jail
In 2009, 34-year-old Patrick Murray, a New York firefighter, was arrested and charged with conspiring to manufacture marijuana and manufacturing marijuana near a school, based on co-defendant cooperation and misapplied cell site location data accuracy. Murray testified in his defense and denied any involvement in or knowledge of the marijuana found in the co-defendant’s house. The prosecution introduced cell site records for Murray’s cell phone that showed 97 calls from Murray’s cell phone had bounced off a tower approximately four blocks from the co-defendant’s house. On August 25, 2010, Patrick Murray was convicted and sentenced to 5 years in prison. Murray was released from prison in 2013 and filed an appeal. The court found that Murray should have been allowed to present evidence rebutting the prosecution’s testimony about the cell site records. On July 23, 2014, the jury acquitted Murray.
Adam Mersereau – Wrongfully convicted
misleading forensic evidence
Converse, Wyoming
2 years spent in prison
In 2010, 23-year-old Adam Mersereau was charged with sexually abusing his stepson. There was no physical evidence to support these claims. The expert for the prosecution had testified that his computer accessed child pornography websites. The expert for the defense stated that the websites visited were not listed in the NCME. In 2012, Adam Mersereau was convicted and sentenced to 18 to 24 years in prison. On appeal, the court found that there was misleading forensic evidence and misconduct. After spending 2 years in jail, these factors led to his exoneration.
India Spellman – Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense – failure to investigate alibi cell phone and computer evidence and location data
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
13 years spent in prison
In 2010, 17-year-old India Spellman was charged with robbery and murder in connection with a shooting, based on a false confession from a co-defendant and faulty eyewitness identification. She was convicted at trial in 2013 and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison. An appeal revealed the defense’s failure to investigate alibi cell phone location data and computer evidence, which would have shown she made several phone calls on both the house phone and her cell phone, and also spent time on a computer accessing Facebook during the time of the crime. After spending 13 years in prison, India Spellman was released and exonerated in 2023 due to the discovery of a note regarding the reliability of the eyewitness identification.
Alford Herbert – Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense: failure to investigate cell phone and location data evidence
Ingham, Michigan
3 years spent in prison
In 2015, 38-year-old Alford Herbert was arrested and charged with murder for a shooting in 2011, based on faulty eyewitness identification and confidential informants. An attempt to obtain rental car records from Hertz Corporation was made to confirm Herbert was at Capital Region International Airport in Lansing, renting a car at 3 p.m., just minutes after the shooting, but the records were not produced until 2018. In 2016, he was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 32 years and five months to 62 years and five months in prison. On August 6, 2018, the judge granted the motion for a new trial, vacated Alford’s convictions, and declared him exonerated in 2020.
Donovan Cadogan – Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense: failure to investigate computer evidence
La Crosse, Wisconsin
6 years spent in prison
In 2011, 29-year-old Donovan Cadogan was arrested and charged with possession and distribution of child pornography while using a public computer at a Sir Speedy outlet. A representative of Microsoft testified that the only way someone other than Cadogan could have downloaded the images was if that person had access to Cadogan’s password to log into the account. In 2016, Cadogan filed a motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence, as well as the failure of Cadogan’s trial defense attorney to retain a computer expert. The motion cited the computer expert’s examination of the Sir Speedy computers and concluded:
- Nothing on the hard drives placed Cadogan on the computers on the dates and times the unlawful files were downloaded.
- Another man was using the computers within minutes of when the downloads occurred.
- Seven of the pornographic images were last accessed on August 13, 2010, while Cadogan was in jail for a violation of parole.
In 2017 and after 6 years in jail, the prosecution dismissed the charges.
George Cortez – Wrongfully convicted
In Ineffective defense: failure to investigate alibi cell phone video
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
5 years spent in prison
In 2011, 30-year-old George Cortez was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder after a shooting, based on faulty eyewitness identification by a surviving victim. His alibi was that he was at home celebrating his son’s birthday. The defense attorney presented a cell phone video taken after Cortez had taken the cake home and before he left to pick up his wife. The defense attorney turned over the cell phone to the police to extract the video, but the detective testified that the video was time-stamped at 6:28 p.m.—well before the cake was picked up, based on the cake receipt, which was time-stamped at 6:56 p.m. In 2014, a motion for post-conviction review was filed, which would present evidence showing that the cell phone had a glitch that prevented it from automatically switching to Daylight Saving Time and was exactly 1 hour behind, supporting his alibi. In 2015, Cortez’s conviction was vacated, but for some reason, he remained in custody for more than a year, until April 22, 2016, when the charges were dismissed and Cortez was finally released.
Charles Rice: Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense: failure to investigate an alibi and digital evidence location data
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
12 years spent in prison
Seventeen-year-old Charles Rice and Tyler Linder were charged with attempted murder in connection with a 2011 shooting, based on information from a confidential informant and faulty eyewitness identification. There was no physical or forensic evidence, and both men had alibis. On February 8, 2013, the jury acquitted Linder and convicted Rice, who was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison. On December 12, 2022, Rice filed a habeas petition for ineffective assistance of counsel, claiming his defense attorney failed to highlight the inconsistencies in the eyewitness testimony and improperly stipulated that the victim was a suspect in the earlier shooting of Rice. This allowed state witnesses to testify about an alleged connection between the two incidents. After more than a decade in prison, Rice was released on December 19, 2023, and the charges were dismissed in 2024.
Derrick Harris: Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense – failure to investigate cell phone evidence
Los Angeles, California
7 years spent in prison
In 2013, 21-year-old Derrick Harris and 20-year-old Desmen Mixon were arrested and charged with robbery based on eyewitness identification. Detectives examined their cell phones, and Mixon’s phone revealed incoming and outgoing text messages to and from another cell phone. One text read, “I just chased a [racial slur] wearing a gun.” At 8:00 p.m., he sent another text message: “I just hit a lick. Yeah, babe. I need you ASAP.” Harris denied involvement, and the only information recovered from his phone was a phone number that did not belong to Mixon. On December 16, 2013, Harris and Mixon were convicted of robbery. Harris was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The defense later discovered that Mixon had committed a similar crime with Corey Duplessis, who resembled the description of the gunman. On October 6, 2020, the court dismissed the charges against Harris, who was released after spending more than seven years incarcerated.
Darryl Williams: Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense – failure to investigate alibi cell site location data
Queens, New York
7 years spent in prison
In 2013, 49-year-old Darryl Williams was arrested and charged with robbery and kidnapping at a Stop and Stor storage facility. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Cell phone records corroborated Williams’ 37-minute call to the landlord, beginning at 2:29 p.m., but the defense was informed that the cell site location data was no longer available. In 2022, the defense filed a motion to vacate, arguing that the defense was ineffective for failing to use available cell phone location data, which showed that Williams was at home and on the phone with his landlord at the time of the robbery. On November 17, 2022, the charges were dismissed, and Williams was released after spending 7 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.”
Julie Amero: Wrongfully accused
Misapplied forensic science – computer evidence
Norwich, Connecticut
In 2007, 37-year-old Julie Amero, a 7th-grade teacher, was arrested and charged with four counts of risk of injury to a minor, or impairing the morals of a child, with a potential sentence of 40 years. The detective called as an expert prosecution witness testified that he solely relied on software which was incapable of determining whether a site was visited intentionally or accidentally, and that the computer was never checked for the presence of malware. Defense experts proved that the computer lacked firewall or anti-spyware protections to prevent inappropriate pop-ups and found spyware/adware programs installed on the hard drive, a contention supported by the school’s principal, who stated that a vendor’s bill had gone unpaid. On November 21, 2008, Julie Amero pleaded guilty to a single charge of disorderly conduct, paid a $100 fine, and forfeited her teaching credentials.”
Maurice Bradford: Wrongfully convicted
Ineffective defense – failure to investigate cell site location data
Cleveland, Ohio
4 years spent in prison
In 2015, 28-year-old Maurice Bradford was arrested and charged in connection with a series of shootings based on cell phone records and witness testimony about the vehicles involved. The prosecution also attempted to establish that Bradford was a gang member. On November 15, 2016, Bradford was convicted of unlawful discharge of a weapon and sentenced to four years and nine months in prison. Bradford appealed his conviction on the grounds of ineffective assistance of counsel, arguing that the defense failed to challenge the cell phone records, which suggested Bradford’s mobile device was in a specific geographical area but did not prove he was in possession of the phone at the time it connected to the nearby cell tower. Bradford was released after serving more than four years in prison.
Michael Oliver : Wrongfully accused
Unreliable AI Facial Recognition Software
Detroit, Michigan
In May 2019, 25-year-old Michael Oliver of Michigan was arrested for felony larceny based on unreliable facial recognition software used by the Detroit Police Department. In September 2019, prosecutors dropped the charges because he did not fit the description and had tattoos and other body markings that the real thief did not have.
Nijeer Parks: Wrongfully accused
Unreliable AI Facial recognition Software
Woodbridge, New Jersey
10 days spent in jail
“In 2019, Nijeer Parks was arrested and charged with shoplifting after police recovered a fake Tennessee driver’s license from the scene. The investigating officer took a photo of the fake license with his cell phone and emailed it to law enforcement partners in New York, who cropped the image, ‘altered the photo on the license a little to get the pixels clear,’ and used facial recognition technology to identify one match: Nijeer Parks. In addition to the fake license, the suspect left a Dunkin’ Donuts receipt on the floor of his abandoned rental car, his fingerprints on a glass door at the scene, and a water bottle in the trash containing his DNA—evidence that was not pursued by police. Mr. Parks was detained for ten days before being released and having the charges dropped.”
Robert Williams: Wrongfully accused
Unreliable AI Facial Recognition Software
Detroit, Michigan
24 hours spent in jail
In 2020, Robert Williams was arrested and charged with robbery based on grainy surveillance footage that was run through facial recognition software and matched to an expired driver’s license photo. Williams was held in custody overnight and until he viewed the video during his interrogation, where the detective noticed that Williams did not match the description of the suspect. After several more hours, Williams was finally released, and the charges were subsequently dismissed. He was the first documented case of a wrongful arrest due to the use of facial recognition technology.
Randal Reid: Wrongfully accused
Unreliable AI Facial Recognition Software
Jefferson Parish Louisiana
7 days spent in jail
In 2022, 28-year-old Randal Reid was arrested and charged with robbery and credit card fraud based on unreliable facial recognition software used by the police. Reid denied involvement and further stated that he had never been to Louisiana. He was released after spending a week in jail due to a false match by AI, and the charges have since been dropped.
Alonzo Sawyer: Wrongfully accused
Unreliable AI Facial Recognition Software
Baltimore, Maryland
9 days spent in jail
In 2022, 54-year-old Alonzo Sawyer was wrongfully accused of assaulting and robbing a bus driver near Baltimore. Video surveillance footage, analyzed by police using facial recognition technology, identified Sawyer as a possible match. He was held in jail for nine days before being released, after which the bus driver identified another man as the one responsible for the attack.
Porcha Woodruff: Wrongfully accused
Unreliable AI Facial Recognition Software
Detroit, Michigan
11 hours spent in jail
In 2023, 32-year-old Porcha Woodruff, who was 8 months pregnant at the time, was arrested and charged with carjacking and robbery based on unreliable facial recognition software and faulty eyewitness misidentification. The facial recognition software flagged her, and the carjacking victim allegedly identified her in a lineup that included her mug shot from a prior arrest in 2015. Police reportedly had access to her current driver’s license photo, issued in 2021, but chose to use the older photo in the investigation and facial recognition process. Woodruff was held for 11 hours before posting a $100,000 bond, after which she went to the hospital for pregnancy complications. The charges were dismissed less than a month later due to insufficient evidence.
