Michigan man exonerated of murder after 32 years in prison
DETROIT (AP) — A man was exonerated Wednesday after 32 years in prison when authorities agreed that he was wrongly convicted of a fatal stabbing in suburban Detroit based on faulty evidence, including a bite mark on the victim.
For years, Gilbert Poole Jr., 56, had challenged his first-degree murder conviction with expertise from the Innocence Project at WMU-Cooley Law School.
An Oakland County judge dismissed the conviction at the request of the Michigan attorney general’s office, clearing the way a few hours later for Poole’s release from a prison in Jackson.
“I spent decades learning, reading, studying law, but none of that was working for me,” Poole said in court. “It wasn’t until I surrendered to a higher power and God stepped in and sent me a band of angels to look past the rules and regulations and looked to see who was standing in the furnace. I was standing in the furnace. I didn’t belong here.”
Poole was convicted in the fatal stabbing of Robert Mejia, whose body was found in a Pontiac field.
Poole’s girlfriend told police that he had confessed to her that he met Mejia in a bar and later killed him during a violent robbery attempt. A dentist linked Poole to a bite mark on the victim.
Poole repeatedly denied any role. In 2015, the Michigan Court of Appeals ordered DNA testing of biological material gathered by police in 1988. There was evidence of type A blood at the scene, which didn’t match Mejia’s or Poole’s blood.
Attorney General Dana Nessel said the county prosecutor’s office, which handled the case in 1988-89, had no objection to vacating Poole’s conviction.
“If we only knew then what we know now, Mr. Poole would never have spent the past three decades in prison for a murder he did not commit,” said Nessel, whose office took a fresh look.
Bite mark evidence “has been widely debunked. It’s not reliable anymore,” she said. “Then you have here not just that but the advent of very reliable types of testing such as DNA.”
Nessel said Poole will be eligible for a variety of post-prison services, including housing. She didn’t address whether he would qualify for $1.6 million under Michigan’s wrongful conviction compensation program.
The law grants $50,000 for each year spent in prison if someone is exonerated, typically because of new evidence.
Lawyer Trust Accounts virtual seminar presented June 22
The State Bar of Michigan is hosting its latest Lawyer Trust Accounts Seminar: Management Principles & Recordkeeping Resources, offering presentations on the ethical management of lawyer trust accounts and the effective use of forms, checklists, and other recordkeeping resources. It is an opportunity for lawyers to receive practical information regarding MRPC 1.15 and 1.15A.
This virtual seminar will take place on Tuesday, June 22, from 1:15 to 4:45 p.m. The cost is $25 for lawyers, law students, and legal professionals. Registration is open until 5 p.m. on Friday, June 18.
To register, visit www.michbar.org/trustaccounts. For questions, email ethics@michbar.org.
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