Another Man’s Crime Will Live With Minnesota Man
ST. PAUL (AP) — A Minnesota man spent 10 years in prison for a crime someone else has since admitted to, but record of that crime will likely stay with him for the rest of his life.
The Minnesota Board of Pardons denied on Wednesday Sherman Townsend's request to have that burglary conviction wiped from his record, with members saying they didn't have the power to exonerate someone.
Townsend was sentenced to 20 years in prison for a 1997 burglary in Minneapolis. Townsend insisted he was wrongfully convicted. He was freed in 2007, after a man who originally told police he saw Townsend fleeing the scene confessed to the crime.
Townsend says he's disappointed but not surprised by the board's decision. His attorney says his family and community all know he's innocent.
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