Wrongfully Convicted Woman Released After 43 Years in Prison
By Hannah Johnson
Sandra ‘Sandy’ Hemme, a 63-year-old American woman, has been released after spending over four decades in prison for a murder she did not commit. Hemme, who was convicted in 1985, had her conviction overturned recently based on new evidence proving her innocence.
According to The Guardian, Hemme was initially convicted due to statements she made while she was a psychiatric patient. These statements were used against her in the murder case of Patricia Jeschke, a library worker killed in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1980.
Livingston County Circuit Judge Ryan Horsman ruled that there is “clear and convincing” evidence of Hemme’s innocence. The judge found that the murder could be linked to Michael Holman, a local police officer who was later convicted of another crime and has since passed away.
Hemme was sentenced to life imprisonment based on her self-incriminating statements, despite their inconsistencies and her mental health
