Convicted Despite DNA: The Juan Rivera Case

Help Free Juan Rivera. Contribute online here: https://nualumni.org/donate/cwc

In May of 2009, Juan Rivera was convicted for a third time for the 1992 rape and murder of 11-year-old Holly Staker in Lake County, Illinois, despite new DNA evidence that excluded him as the source of semen found in the victims body. Rivera is currently appealing his case. To learn more about Rivera's wrongful conviction, go to http://www.law.northwestern.edu/cwc/

Video by John Maki
Music by Nathan Urdangen

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Juan Rivera
• false confession
• center on wrongful conviction
• exoneration
• DNA
• constitutional rights
• chicago
• death penalty
• cold case
• unsolved murder
• lake county
• Illinois
• northwwestern university
• police
• brutality

[tabithamiller123]

No iam not a judge a layer or even affilated in the court system at all but by watching this video iam smart enough to see by resonable doubt he is not guilty and should be set free and study on finding and charging the right person for this crime.

[AlvaroAndfriends]

It totally messed up interrogating a person for so long and accusing them of a crime and didnt did the crime will put them to make a false confession.

I see and hear this happens a great number of times and believe me putting the wrong people convicted for murder or rape is hell to those that are put away in jail

I even learned that texas executed a man believed that he killed his children by setting their bedroom on fire while they slept. However further evidence proved he didnt did the crime

[amzuel420]

This was the most bazaar thing I've ever seen in my life. There was a party going on a couple blocks away. Two people were seen leaving and returning in the time frame of Holly's murder. Both returned out of breath, very nervous and one had scratches on his face and neck yet they were never even considered. BOTH are on the Illinois sex offender registry. One with physical harm to a victim under 13 yrs old...I finally concluded that the cops were covering for somebody and walked away.

[dude00074]

@Christopher711 probably walked in on the investigation by mistake. jk but seriously you're right. how did they instantly use him as a suspect if there weren't even any witnesses to describe a man that looks like him in any way.

[Zurround100]

I think restitution given to people exonerated for these types of sex crimes should be even greater than other crimes because child rapists are treated so horribly in prison. I hope this guy is awarded several MILLION dollars

[Vidian6]

Eric Zorn is right time and time we see this and that because that time and time again the jury of his/her peers is a predominately white jury with little or no contact with people of color. What amazes me is that anyone would believe that the results would come out to be anything else. I mean the choice is white police officers, or this latino male. Go figure.

[Christopher711]

I wonder why the police decided early on that juan rivera committed the crime?

[suzukirider1221]

If you think about the facts that are mentioned in this video, it is beyond question that he is innocent.

Many before this case have been set free when the dna came back as someone else, so why isnt Juan free? Its because the police do not want to admit they were wrong.

Juan Rivera is my step father, and i have visited him many times over the years. If you were to meet this man in person, you would know he is innocent. He had no involvement in the murder or rape..