Dan Nonte, University Relations
Contact: (336) 334-4314
Posted 3-21-07
GREENSBORO, NC – Kirk Bloodsworth, the first death row inmate exonerated by DNA evidence, will speak at UNCG on Thursday, April 12.
Bloodsworth was convicted in 1985 of raping and murdering 9-year-old Dawn Hamilton and sentenced to die in Maryland’s gas chamber. In June 1993, he became the first person in the United States to be exonerated of a capital crime by DNA technology.
He will speak at 7 p.m. in Room 201 of the new Science Building about his experience with the criminal justice system and his struggles since being released from prison. A reception and book signing will follow the speech, which is free and open to the public.
Bloodsworth maintained his innocence throughout his trial and the nine years he spent in prison. Early in the 1990s while reading a book about emerging DNA technology, he realized the testing could reveal his innocence.
Testing by state and federal labs concluded that his DNA did not match any evidence from the crime scene. He was freed from prison in 1993. In September 2003, Maryland’s State’s Attorney announced a DNA match in the case. Kimberly Shay Ruffner pled guilty to the murder in May 2004.
With Tim Junkin, Bloodsworth told his story in the book “Bloodsworth: The True Story of One Man’s Triumph over Injustice.”
The event is sponsored by the UNCG Department of Sociology, the Teaching and Learning Center, the Sociology Club, and the Legal Professions Association.
