Johnny O’Neal had 14 years of his life taken away after being falsely convicted of rape. According to court documents, O’Neal was accused and convicted of raping a woman at knife-point in 1984.
He served his sentence and was released from prison in 1998. However, a group of private attorneys, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, and the Legal Aid Society conducted a new investigation on the specific crime and discovered evidence that revealed the true rapist. The evidence led to a guy named Gregory Smith.
Smith confessed to committing the rape and two other rapes by using the same knife in each attack. However, Smith died 14 years ago. In July, the Manhattan Supreme Court dismissed charges and the conviction against O’Neal.
O’Neal plans to sue the State of New York for being wrongly convicted.
