Earl Washington Jr.

Earl Washington Jr. (born May 3, 1960) is a wrongfully-convicted former Virginia death-row inmate, who was imprisoned for rape and murder of Rebecca Lyn Williams. Washington, with an IQ estimated at 69, confessed to the crime, but apparently only after being coerced by investigators. After a fellow inmate Joseph Giarratano took on his case, citing Washington's mental disability, DNA evidence in 1994 showed that Washington could not have made the semen stain and raised doubt that he was responsible for the crimes for which he was sentenced. Nine days before his scheduled execution, Virginia's Governor Douglas Wilder commuted his sentence to life in prison. In 2000, after more accurate DNA testing strengthened the case for his innocence, he received a full pardon from Governor James Gilmore. Washington was represented by attorneys Robert T. Hall, Eric M. Freedman, Gerald Zerkin and Barry A. Weinstein.

In 2006, Washington was awarded $2.25 million from the estate of Agent Wilmore who had forced the false confession from Washington. In 2007, the actual murderer Kenneth Tinsley pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.

Washington's case is frequently cited by opponents of the death penalty as an example of a wrongful death sentence.