October 12th 2023.
On Tuesday, Oct. 10, after DNA testing proved his innocence, Perry Lott, a 61-year-old from Pontotoc County, was exonerated by District Judge Steven Kessinger. After 35 long years spent in prison, Lott was finally able to "shut this door and move on with my life."
The process of exoneration started when the Innocence Project reopened Lott's case and ordered a post-conviction DNA test from the rape kit. Despite the evidence of his innocence, District Attorney Paul Smith denied Lott's request to vacate his conviction. Luckily, when Erik Johnson was appointed as the new District Attorney in January 2023, the Innocence Project was able to file an appeal.
Johnson agreed with the Innocence Project that Lott's conviction should be vacated and he is now eligible to receive up to $175,000 in compensation from Oklahoma. Adnan Sultan, a Senior Staff Attorney for the Innocence Project, was relieved that justice was finally served: "Five years ago, all evidence pointed to his innocence, but he was denied justice. We are grateful to District Attorney Erik Johnson for his commitment to righting this wrong."
For Lott, the years that he lost cannot be replaced; however, he now has a restored sense of hope for himself and others. "I feel like I'm reborn. I feel like everything is new, especially my opportunities," he said. "No more walls. That's a wonderful feeling. And I think the entire state is catching on to removing all those walls and barriers that stop people from being people."
Unfortunately, Lott's exoneration is not the only one that Pontotoc County has had to make amends for. In 1985, Karl Allen Fontenot and Tommy Ward were sentenced to death for the kidnapping and murder of Donna Denice Haraway. In 2020, Fontenot's conviction was overturned due to evidence of his alibi and other potential suspects. The federal appeals court agreed with the judge and Fontenot has remained free since 2019.
Overall, this news serves as a reminder that justice can prevail, even after decades. We hope that more innocent people can be exonerated in the future.
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