‘Junk Science’ Clears Louisiana Death Row Inmate of Murder

A judge in Louisiana has cleared the murder conviction of Jimmie Chris Duncan, who was originally found guilty of killing his partner's almost 2-year-old daughter based on what experts now say is "junk science."

Duncan was initially charged with negligent homicide for leaving 23-month-old Haley Oliveaux alone in the bath while he washed dishes.

Duncan's charges were upgraded to first-degree murder when Pathologist Dr. Steven Hayne and dentist Dr. Michael West claimed a bite mark was found on Haley's body that led them to claim she was the victim of sexual assault. Dr. Hayne and Dr. West were longtime investigative partners of the state of Louisiana, but in the last 30 years, nine people have been set free from Louisiana prisons after the evidence West and Hayne presented was found to be inaccurate.

Duncan Freed From Death Row, Still In Prison

Jimmie Duncan is now one of four people to be taken off death row after the evidence of Dr. Hayne and West was determined to be faulty.

Duncan's legal team later found evidence that had been left out, including a video of Dr. West using a mold of human teeth to press into the body of Haley.

Dr. Lowell Levine was witness to the video and said he was appalled at the sight. Dr. Lowell pointed out that if the bite marks can be used as evidence, they needed to be documented and photographed before Dr. West pressed the teeth into the body.

Dr. West's technique of using bite marks to identify culprits in a case like this has been the topic of controversy for some time, even he himself was featured in the Netflix documentary series "The Innocence Files," defending the practice as legitimate.

For now, Duncan can rest knowing he will not be executed by the state. Judge Alvin Sharp of the 4th Judicial District ruled the evidence from the case is "not scientifically defensible."

It will be up to the district attorney, Robert S. Tew, to decide whether the decision should be appealed, retried on the original murder charge, retried on a different lesser charge, or simply let him walk.