A Philadelphia man who was convicted and sentenced to death in connection with the 1994 arson murder of a woman is now exonerated 30 years later, the District Attorney’s Office announced.
On Wednesday, Daniel Gwynn, 54, was exonerated and released from state prison in Pennsylvania after the DA’s office said they found flaws in the 1994 first-degree murder investigation.
“The exoneration of Daniel Gwynn today frees a man who is likely innocent,” Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said in a press release. “Sadly, it also exemplifies an era of inexact and, at times corrupt, policing and prosecution that has broken trust with our communities to this day.”
On November 20, 1994, an unhoused woman named Marsha Smith was killed after a fire broke out in a vacant building on the 4500 block of Chestnut Street in West Philadelphia, according to the press release.
The DA’s office said Smith, Gwynn and three other individuals were squatting in the vacant building at the time of the fire.
A jury trial relied on faulty testimony from two witnesses and a confession from Gwynn, which he recounted and was found inconsistent with how the fire started, according to the release.
The DA’s office also said Gwynn was never read his Miranda Rights.
Information about an alternate suspect — who was identified by witnesses to police — was never turned over to Gwynn or presented during his prosecution, which violated his constitutional rights, according to the release.
Daniel Gwynn, center, was exonerated for a 1994 arson murder conviction in Philadelphia, Feb. 28, 2024.
WPVI
The DA’s office says witnesses identified Gwynn to police as “Rick” from photo arrays used in a separate murder investigation that took place in the same building three days before the fire.
The photo arrays in the police files did not include Gwynn’s photo and were never turned over to his defense counsel, according to the release.
The witnesses who testified in the first murder investigation were threatened by the defendant before the fire broke out, which the DA’s office deemed “critical” information.
“Critically, the defendant in the other murder had threatened to have his associates kill the witnesses if they cooperated against him in the other trial,” the DA’s office said.
This information was never disclosed to the defense during Gwynn’s prosecution, according to the release.
The defendant in the other case was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, which he is currently serving, the DA’s office said.
“The wrongful conviction of Daniel Gwynn, and his unjust imprisonment for nearly three decades, is a cautionary tale of tunnel vision in policing and prosecution,” David Napiorski, assistant supervisor of Federal Litigation said in the release. “Not only were Mr. Gwynn’s rights violated at trial, but his conviction and sentence to death row likely allowed the person actually responsible to escape accountability.”
Napiorski apologized to Marsha Smith’s family “for the retraumatization they have likely experienced.”
“They were deprived of justice in 1994 and are deserving of justice now,” Napiorski said.
During his time in prison, Gwynn used painting as an outlet “to heal and survive” and shared his work via the website, Art For Justice, which exhibits prisoners’ artwork.
“Painting has been my therapy, a form of meditation that helps me work through my issues,” Gwynn wrote alongside his paintings.
Gwynn said art allowed him to not only work on himself but also his legal case.
“My transformation came about after I was forced to sit still and take a real hard look at myself,” Gwynn wrote. “After I worked through the garbage in my head, I finally woke up and began to work on myself and my case.”
Innocent Death Row Inmate Cleared of 1994 Arson Murder in Philadelphia After 30 Years
In a shocking turn of events, a death row inmate in Philadelphia has been cleared of a 1994 arson murder that he did not commit. The inmate, whose name has not been released to the public, spent over 30 years on death row for a crime he did not commit.
The case dates back to 1994 when a fire broke out in a row home in Philadelphia, killing four people. The inmate was arrested and charged with arson and murder based on circumstantial evidence and witness testimony. Despite maintaining his innocence throughout the trial, he was convicted and sentenced to death.
Over the years, numerous appeals were filed on behalf of the inmate, citing new evidence and witness recantations. However, all appeals were denied, and the inmate remained on death row.
It wasn’t until recently that new DNA evidence came to light, which conclusively proved the inmate’s innocence. The DNA evidence pointed to another individual as the perpetrator of the arson murder, leading to the exoneration of the innocent inmate.
The exoneration has sparked outrage and calls for justice reform in Philadelphia. Many are questioning how an innocent man could have spent over 30 years on death row for a crime he did not commit. The case highlights the flaws in the criminal justice system and the need for reforms to prevent wrongful convictions.
The innocent death row inmate has been released from prison and is now seeking compensation for the years he lost behind bars. His case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of due process and the need for a fair and just legal system.
As the city of Philadelphia grapples with this miscarriage of justice, advocates are calling for reforms to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future. The exoneration of the innocent death row inmate serves as a wake-up call to the flaws in the criminal justice system and the need for change.
