Charles Jackson Declared Wrongfully Imprisoned by Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas

Jackson was just 27 years old when he was arrested, prosecuted, and sent to prison, where he served more than 27 years for a crime he did not commit. 

Background

After decades of fighting, Charles Jackson was declared a wrongfully imprisoned person by Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas’ Judge Kathleen Ann Sutula on July 11, 2022. Jackson served over 27 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. 

Friedman Gilbert + Gerhardstein (FG+G) filed a complaint against the State of Ohio in 2020 seeking a declaration of wrongful imprisonment for Jackson. The declaration of wrongful imprisonment grants him the right to pursue compensation from the State of Ohio for the years he spent in prison as an innocent man. 

Jackson was just 27 years old when he was arrested, prosecuted, and sent to prison after being wrongfully convicted of murder and attempted murder, with specifications for violence and use of a firearm. At trial, the only evidence supporting the State’s theory of the case was the testimony of two witnesses. Jackson was released from prison in 2018 after the Ohio Innocence Project (OIP) uncovered new evidence of his innocence that had previously been suppressed by Cleveland police. OIP worked to overturn his conviction and in 2019, the prosecution dismissed all charges against Jackson.

“The investigation that led to the wrongful conviction of Charles Jackson was riddled with misconduct. His life was stolen from him. Today is a day he has been fighting to see for decades, and it is imperative that our legal system and our community recognize the immense loss and suffering he has survived to stand here now,” stated Jacqueline Greene, FG+G partner. “Charles Jackson is a survivor of extreme injustice. He was robbed of the things we all hold dearly – he missed the birth of his daughter, the chance to build his life as he wanted, and the fundamental right to be a free man in the world. Today marks a turning point in his life,” said Sarah Gelsomino, partner at FG+G.

According to the National Registry of Exonerations, more than 3,180 exonerations have taken place since 1989. In 2020 alone, 129 exonerations occurred. Data shows that the wrongfully convicted have lost more than 27,200 years to imprisonment without cause.

 
 
VictoriesFG+Gcivil rights, Cleveland, Jacqueline Greene, Charles Jackson