On May 28, 2010, police in Houston, Texas arrested 20-year-old Edgar Recendez-Lopez after seizing white powder from him that field-tested positive for cocaine.
On June 22, 2010, Recendez-Lopez pled guilty in Harris County Criminal District Court to possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to 90 days in the Harris County Jail.
In August 2014, the Harris County District Attorney's Post Conviction Review Unit notified Recendez-Lopez's defense attorney that the powder had been tested by the Houston Police crime laboratory and it was negative for controlled substances.
On August 19, 2014, the prosecution joined the defense to file a motion requesting that the conviction be vacated. The motion was granted and the charge was dismissed.
- Maurice Possley
Posting Date: 01-14-2015
Case Details:
State:
Texas
County:
Harris
Most Serious Crime:
Drug Possession or Sale
Reported Crime Date:
2010
Convicted:
2010
Exonerated:
2014
Sentence:
Term of Years
Race / Ethnicity:
White
Sex:
Male
Age at the date of reported crime:
20
Contributing Factors:
False or Misleading Forensic Evidence
Did DNA evidence contribute to the exoneration?:
No