March 14, 2014
Sarah Pearce hugs her aunt after walking out of the Canyon County, Idaho jail March 14, 2014. Sarah’s mother, Anita Brown is seen at left. (photo by Greg Hampikian’s IPhone).
From press release by the Idaho Innocence Project:
After almost 12 years in prison, Idaho Innocence Project client Sarah Pearce (31) was freed by third District Court Judge Juneal Kerrick in the same Canyon County courtroom where she had been sentenced. As the judge pointed out Pearce has always maintained her innocence; and the IIP has uncovered significant new evidence in the case. Pearce was convicted of six felonies in 2003, including aiding and abetting in the 2000 attempted murder of Linda LeBrane. She was given a 15 years to life sentence. The case attracted national media attention including “America’s Most Wanted,” and Arts and Entertainment’s “I Survived.” LeBrane’s brutal attackers (3 men and one woman) stabbed and beat her, left and then returned to continue the assault, finally leaving her nearly dead beside her burning car. Lebrane miraculously survived and gave the police descriptions of her attackers. From that description the police developed a lead female suspect (not Pearce), and LeBrane identified that other woman as her female attacker. Unlike Pearce, the original suspect fit the description of the attacker that LeBrane gave to police after the attack: shorter than LeBrane, conversing in Spanish, a girlfriend of one of the men. Pearce is several inches taller than the victim, does not speak Spanish, and is a Lesbian. The original suspect was released when a polygraph she took was misinterpreted by the police polygrapher and wrongly judged as passing. The polygraph was later rescored as inconclusive, but that information was not disclosed to Sarah’s defense.
The Idaho Innocence Project at Boise State University (BSU) has been working to free Sarah since 2007. We have obtained affidavits from several of the major witnesses who have admitted testifying falsely, or have significantly changed their testimony, and others who have come forward with information identifying the alternate suspect. After over five years of litigation, post-conviction relief was granted in the form of Sarah being resentenced to time served.
Sarah was represented by Scott Fouser (Fouser Law Offices, P.A.), Jared Hoskins (IIP), and Steve Andersen (Andersen Banducci, PLLC). As she walked out of jail she was welcomed by her family, along with several IIP representatives and volunteers who have assisted with the case including former IIP Attorney Rick Visser, IIP Legal Assistant Debbie Thompson, IIP Director Dr. Greg Hampikian, Ginny Hatch, Leon Rothstein, Joy Garrison, and Mikel Hautzinger. Dr. Charles Honts of the BSU psychology department also volunteered as a polygraphy expert on the case.
Sarah looks forward to spending time with her family, jogging, attending school, and volunteering for the IIP.
An upcoming Dateline show will air about Sarah’s case (no date set).
The Idaho Innocence Project has had its funding drastically cut after it was not awarded a competitive Department of Justice grant this year. For the past five years DOJ grants have been their largest support, with other help coming from foundations and private donations. The IIP is not taking on new legal representation cases until it secures other sources of funding, but Director Greg Hampikian will continue to offer forensic DNA support to lawyers and Innocence Network groups representing clients with claims of innocence. “We are continuing our investigation work on several cases here in Idaho including Chris Tapp’s. We are also working on DNA cases across the country and overseas,” said Greg Hampikian.
Donations to the Idaho Innocence Project can be made here.
Idaho Statesman Story
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/03/15/3081645/woman-convicted-in-i-84-attack.html
