Death Row Inmate Walks Free – After 30-YEARS!

Weathered Death Row sign on aged concrete wall

A man spent nearly 30 years on Louisiana’s death row for a toddler’s death, only to walk free when discredited bite-mark evidence crumbled under scrutiny, what if your justice system relied on junk science?

Story Snapshot

Jimmie Duncan was convicted in 1998 based on bite-mark analysis and now ruled “not scientifically defensible.”
Victim’s mother recanted, testifying daughter died from seizures, not murder.
Judge vacated conviction in April 2025; Duncan released on $150,000 bail November 26, 2025.
State appeals to Louisiana Supreme Court, hearing set for early 2026.
Forensic experts Michael West and Steven Hayne are linked to multiple overturned cases.

1994 Tragedy Leads to Flawed 1998 Conviction

Jimmie “Chris” Duncan faced a grand jury indictment in 1994 for the death of 23-month-old Haley Oliveaux, his girlfriend’s daughter. Prosecutors claimed Duncan raped and drowned the child in 1998. Forensic dentist Michael West and pathologist Steven Hayne testified that key evidence came from bite marks on the victim. A state-appointed expert matched those marks to Duncan’s teeth mold. The jury convicted Duncan of first-degree murder and sentenced him to death. He entered Angola prison with no prior criminal record.

Video evidence later surfaced showing West forcibly creating bite marks using Duncan’s mold. Haley’s medical history revealed prior seizures and a fall requiring hospitalization. Warm baths posed seizure risks. These facts undermined the prosecution’s narrative from the start.

Victim’s Mother Shifts Allegiance in 2025

Allison Layton Statham, Haley’s mother, accused Duncan initially. She recanted years later, stating at the bail hearing her daughter “wasn’t killed… died because she was sick.” Statham blamed prosecutors and experts for fabricating evidence. Her testimony aligned with new evidence of the child’s seizure disorder. Judge Alvin Sharp cited this shift during proceedings. Statham’s change weakened the state’s case significantly.

Duncan’s legal team, backed by the Innocence Project, presented “clear and convincing evidence” of factual innocence. They labeled West and Hayne “charlatans.” Hayne died years ago; West once called bite-mark analysis obsolete after DNA exonerations in other cases. Their work imprisoned innocents for decades elsewhere.

Judge Vacates Conviction Citing Junk Science

April 2025 marked a turning point. Fourth Judicial District Court Judge Alvin Sharp vacated Duncan’s conviction. He ruled the bite-mark evidence unreliable and consistent with accidental drowning. Sharp found factual innocence and stated the proof against Duncan “not evident.” This decision came amid Louisiana’s push for executions after a 15-year hiatus under Governor Jeff Landry.

Louisiana tallies 12 death row exonerations since 1973, topping national rates. Nationally, over 200 cleared since then. Bite-mark analysis faces nationwide discredit, tied to dozens of wrongful convictions. Sharp’s ruling exposed systemic flaws in forensic reliance.

Bail Granted Despite State Opposition

November 21, 2025, Sharp granted bail at $150,000. He noted the presumption of guilt “is not great.” Duncan posted bond and exited Ouachita Parish Correctional Center on November 26. He celebrated Thanksgiving with family and turned 57 the next day. Described as a model prisoner, Duncan aided others’ education during incarceration.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill opposed release, arguing for incarceration pending appeal. Ouachita Parish DA Robert Tew’s office seeks reinstatement via the 1994 indictment. The Louisiana Supreme Court reviews the vacatur; a hearing looms in early 2026. Duncan’s team hails the release as a step toward full exoneration.

Conservative Lens on Justice and Accountability

American conservative values demand swift justice for the guilty but ironclad proof before executing innocents. Facts here—recanted testimony, seizure history, fabricated marks—overwhelm the original case. Common sense rejects “charlatan” forensics propping up convictions. Prosecutors’ appeal push aligns with accountability, yet rushing executions amid flaws risks irreversible errors. True justice honors innocence until proven otherwise.