Bruce Edwards, Who Spent 23 Years in Prison, Is Exonerated

After 23 years on death row, Bruce Edwards has been exonerated.

Bruce Maurice Edwards has been released from prison after serving 23 years on death row for a crime he did not commit. Read more about the case, Edwards' experience in prison, and what his exoneration means for the criminal justice system.

Edwards was wrongfully convicted of the 1991 murder of three people, including his 15-year-old daughter.

In 1992, Edwards was convicted and sentenced to death for the murders of his daughter, Sharee Edwards, her friend Stacey McMillian, and an acquaintance, Howard Johnson. He was convicted primarily on the basis of witness testimony claiming he had confessed to the murders and blood spatter evidence placing him inside the victims’ home. Edwards steadfastly maintained his innocence, and his conviction was overturned in 2014 after new DNA evidence linked another man to the murders.

He was finally exonerated in 2022 after new DNA evidence linked another man to the murders.

On October 26, 2022, Leon County Circuit Judge Charles Dodson overturned Edwards' conviction, and the following month, State Attorney Jack Campbell dropped all charges. Edwards walked free on November 10, 2022.

Edwards' exoneration is a victory for justice, but it also raises questions about the criminal justice system.

The Edwards case highlights the flaws in the criminal justice system that can lead to wrongful convictions. Eyewitness misidentification, faulty forensic evidence, and prosecutorial misconduct all contributed to Edwards' wrongful conviction. His case is a reminder that the system is not infallible and that innocent people can be convicted of crimes they did not commit.