Congratulations to Harold Staten on his exoneration yesterday! Mr. Staten was exonerated and released from the State Correctional Institution at Phoenix in Collegeville, PA last night after spending nearly 38 years imprisoned for a crime that never occurred. EP Attorney Amelia Maxfield represents Mr. Staten with the Pennsylvania Innocence Project and pro bono attorneys from firm Cozen O’Connor.
Mr. Staten was convicted of arson and murder following a 1984 house fire in Philadelphia that killed one person. His conviction rested on flawed fire science. His conviction was vacated yesterday after a fire investigation expert retained by the Conviction Integrity Unit at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office agreed with the defense’s expert that under modern principles of fire science, this fire could not be classified as arson.
Mr. Staten is pictured here with his son, enjoying his first ever margarita, and then with his legal team. Mr. Staten is looking forward to taking a walk and being able to go in any direction he wants, instead of just walking in circles around the prison yard. He’s also looking forward to meeting his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Congratulations to Mr. Staten and his family!
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