How Missouri Woman Spent 43 Years Wrongfully Imprisoned

A Missouri judge has freed a woman who was wrongfully accused and imprisoned, spending over 40 years in jail.

There is “clear and convincing” evidence that Sandra “Sandy” Hemme, imprisoned for over four decades for a 1980 murder, is innocent, the judge read. But how did she spend 43 years in jail?

Background and Case Details:

Hemme, now 64, was convicted of the murder of Patricia Jeschke in St. Joseph, Missouri. Livingston County Circuit Judge Ryan Horsman, in an 118-page memorandum, highlighted evidence directly implicating a now-deceased police officer, Michael Holman, in the crime.

Following a three-day evidentiary hearing in January, Hemme’s attorneys argued for her innocence, while the Missouri Attorney General’s Office sought to maintain her conviction. The office did not respond to requests for comments on Saturday.

Judge Horsman identified two major legal violations in Hemme’s case:

1. The state failed to disclose exculpatory evidence to Hemme’s defense, a Brady violation.

2. Hemme’s trial attorney’s performance was deemed substandard.

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After investigations:

Horsman pointed out the absence of forensic evidence linking Hemme to the crime and noted the inconsistencies in her statements, made under psychiatric duress and physical pain. Hemme’s conflicting accounts were given while she was on antipsychotic medication and sedatives.

During her hospital stay, Hemme accused various individuals, including a man later proven to have an alibi, of the murder. Evidence now points to Michael Holman, a former police officer who served prison time for another crime and died in 2015. Holman’s vehicle was seen near the crime scene, his alibi was unverified, and he used Jeschke’s credit card post-murder. Additionally, earrings identified as Jeschke’s were found in his possession.

Legal oversights:

Horsman noted critical evidence, including a report about the earrings and FBI forensic reports, was withheld from Hemme’s defense. Information on Holman’s criminal activities around the murder period was also not disclosed, undermining the trial’s fairness.

Hemme’s trial counsel failed to present vital evidence, including Holman’s presence near Jeschke’s home and Hemme’s psychiatric state. Horsman’s order emphasised that these failures led to a “fundamentally unfair” trial.

What’s next:

Buchanan County prosecutors have 30 days to decide whether to retry Hemme or dismiss the charges. Meanwhile, her attorneys advocate for her release, citing her age, health issues, and low flight risk. Hemme’s family in Missouri is prepared to support her upon release.