In a bittersweet turn of events, a man who spent 17 years in prison for a crime he never committed was awarded $1.1 million after it was established that it was actually his doppelganger who committed the crime. This is the story of Richard Jones, who was imprisoned way back in 2000 on the charges of aggravated robbery. 17 years later, it was revealed that the real accused was his look-alike, Ricky Amos.
People across the world have a weird fascination with seeking their own doppelgangers. The idea that a person looks largely identical as us without sharing any genetic makeup, is fascinating. However, what happens when the same doppelganger commits a crime, and you end up being prosecuted for it?
Richard Jones was put in jail for a crime that was committed back in 1999 at a Walmart parking lot in Kansas, US. Although Jones had a solid alibi, and told cops that he was with his girlfriend – the lack of evidence at the scene led to his conviction.
Shockingly enough, when an eyewitness was asked to identify the accused from a series of mugshots it was Jones he remembered, as he shared resemblance with the real accused Ricky Amos. Despite sentencing against his conviction, Jones was denied justice.
However, he was awarded $1 million in compensation after serving for 17 years.
The Facts of the Matter
Science fiction is filled with dramatic stories of look-alikes, doppelgangers and even identical twin siblings committing a horrific crime, and their physical counterparts being convicted for it. In a strangely similar incident, a man was made to serve for 17 years for a crime he actually had not committed. For serving 17 years in jail, the man was given $1.1 million in compensation.
This is the fascinating story of Richard Jones, the man who was put in jail for 17 years for a crime he never committed.
The Curious Case & Aftermath
In 1999, a woman became the victim of an aggravated robbery, after a man tried to steal her handbag from a parking lot in Kansas US. A year after the incident, it was Richard Jones who was put behind the bars. Jones, who was with his girlfriend when the crime was committed, denied the allegations. However, lack of evidence at the scene of crime did him in.
Further, when an eyewitness was asked to identify Jones from a series of mugshots, he pointed at a picture of a person, who appeared to be Jones. However, years later, it was ascertained that the real accused was Ricky Amos, a doppelganger of Jones, who looked eerily similar to Jones.
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The Imprisonment & The Ray of Hope
Knowing that he was not the person responsible for crime, Jones attempted to appeal against his sentence, but was denied justice, only to be forced to serve in the prison.
Years later, the University of Kansas School of Law and Midwest Innocence Project became a ray of hope for him. The two parties tried to help Jones get justice. During their investigation, they found out that the real accused was actually in the same prison as Jones.
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The Happy Ending
The judge in the case then presented the victim and eyewitness with the mugshot of Jones and his doppelganger Amos. Obviously, they couldn’t tell the two apart. As there was no DNA or fingerprints that ever-linked Jones to the scene of crime, he was freed to join the family and the real accused was convicted.
Further, he was awarded $1.1 million in compensation for spending over one and a half-decade in prison for no crime of his own. He also received a certificate of innocence.
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