Julie Rea Harper Case Data
Compiled by Ayse Tuker
Copyright © 2006, Center on Wrongful Convictions
Bluhm Legal Clinic, Northwestern University School of Law
Crime date: October 13, 1997
Jurisdiction: Lawrence County, Illinois - tried on changes of venue to Wayne County (first trial) and to Clinton County (second trial).
Crime: Murder
Related crime(s): none
Age: 28 (born December 13, 1968)
Gender: Female
Race or ethnicity: Caucasian
Occupation: Indiana University graduate student pursuing PhD in educational psychology
Prior record: None
Arrest date: October 12, 2000
Victim: Joel Kirkpatrick
Victim's gender: Male
Victim's race: Caucasian
Victim's age: 10
Victim's occupation: Student
Relationship of defendant to victim: Mother-child
How defendant became a suspect: She was present when crime occurred in her home between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m.
Principal evidence of defendant's guilt: Nothing other than her presence at the crime scene. Prosecutors argued simply that it did not make sense that someone would enter a home and kill a child with a knife found in the home - especially without leaving fingerprints on the knife or other physical evidence.
Principal defense: An unknown intruder committed the murder and in the process wounded the mother. Evidence that Julie Rea Harper was a loving mother also was presented.
Type of trial: Jury
Conviction date: May 10, 2002
Convicted of: Murder
Sentence: Sixty-five years
Appellate record: Original indictment and conviction vacated by non-published opinion by Fifth District Illinois Appellate Court.
Basis for exoneration: The physical evidence was inconsistent with the prosecution theory that Julie Rea Harper committed the crime. Evidence was also presented that the crime might have been committed by serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells.
Legal form of exoneration: Acquittal upon retrial
Release date: July 22, 2004
Exoneration date: July 26, 2006
Days of incarceration: 1,379
Prior felony record: None
Post-exoneration felony record: None
Compensation: Pending
