Kirk
N. Bloodsworth was the first death row inmate to be exonerated
as a result of DNA testing in the United States. A former Marine, he was
convicted of sexual assault, rape and first-degree premeditated murder and
sentenced to death in 1984. Following a retrial, a second conviction and
a new sentence of two consecutive life terms, Mr. Bloodsworth fought for
years for a DNA test, finally succeeding in getting evidence from the crime
scene sent to a lab.
In 1993, reports concluded that his DNA did not match any of the evidence received for testing. By the time of his release, Mr. Bloodsworth had spent nearly nine years in prison, including two on death row.
Today, he is a program officer for The Justice Project’s Campaign for Criminal Justice Reform and the Justice Project Education Fund. Since its introduction in Congress in February 2000, Mr. Bloodsworth has been an ardent supporter of the Innocence Protection Act, which includes the “Kirk Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing Program.” He has spoken about the injustices of the capital punishment system on numerous television shows, including Oprah and Larry King Live, and his story has been featured in national publications, including the New York Times Magazine.
The dramatic story of his 20-year journey is chronicled in the book, Bloodsworth: The True Story of the First Death Row Inmate Exonerated by DNA, written by Tim Junkin.
