Jack Ryan Case Data
Compiled by Steve Art
Copyright — 2006, Center on Wrongful Convictions
Bluhm Legal Clinic, Northwestern University School of Law
Crime date: Date Range — October 7-11, 1925
Jurisdiction: Humboldt County, California
Crime: Murder
Related crime(s): Second murder (found not guilty), Statutory Rape
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Race or ethnicity: Mixed — White/Native American
Arrest date: October 24, 1925 (Wagner murder — found not guilty March 12, 1926); July 12, 1928 (statutory rape charge — confesses to Sweet murder the following day)
Victim: Henry Sweet
Victim’s occupation: Unknown
Victim’s gender: Male
Victim’s race: White
Victim’s age: 21
How defendant became a suspect: Lived in close proximity to crime scene, was a minority.
Principal evidence of defendant’s guilt: Confession
Principal defense: None
Type of trial: None
Conviction date: September 13, 1928
Convicted of: Murder
Sentence: Life
Appellate record: None
Basis for exoneration: Confession by alleged statutory rape victim that charges had been false. Reinvestigation of case by Richard H. Walton, a DA’s investigator, follows extensive interviews culminate in report persuading California Supreme Court to recommend posthumous pardon.
Legal form of exoneration: Pardon (April 15, 1996)
Release date: May 11, 1953
Days of incarceration: 9,208 (139 for first arrest; 9,069 for second arrest)
Prior record: None
Compensation: None
