2 Men Who Spent Nearly 17 Years Behind Bars on Wrongful Attempted Murder Convictions Declared Innocent

Two men who served nearly 17 years behind bars on wrongful attempted murder convictions in California have now been formally declared innocent following a new trial in the case.

Dupree Glass and Juan Rayford, who had both initially received 11 consecutive life sentences in connection with a 2004 shooting in Lancaster, were freed in late 2020 after their convictions were overturned earlier that year. Both men were teenagers when they were first arrested in connection with the non-fatal shooting.

The impacts of the case were far-reaching, notably pointing to the importance of pro bono legal work when it comes to righting the wrongs of false convictions.

“Working on this case through UCI Law’s pro bono project back in 2015 was one of the main reasons why I decided to pursue criminal defense as a career after law school, so it was really special to be able to see this case come full circle after so many years,” Michelle Ferguson, Richie Litigation associate attorney, said back in 2020.

Per a report from the Associated Press, Glass and Rayford were declared innocent on Thursday. Speaking with reporters outside the courthouse, Rayford said he had “thought about this day for so long.” Chad Brandon McZeal, the person who’s actually responsible for the 2004 shooting for which Glass and Rayford were wrongfully convicted, is presently behind bars on a life sentence in connection with another case.

California state law dictates that both men are entitled to $140 day per day of their wrongful imprisonment. In the case of Glass and Rayford, this comes out to an estimated $900,000. Moving forward, the two men’s lawyers are also planning to take legal action against those involved in the wrongful convictions of their clients.