On December 14, 2015, the Harris County Sheriff's department arrested 33-year-old Dwight Gates for possession of pills suspected to be hydrocodone, a codeine-based pain killer.
On January 12, 2016, Gates pled guilty in Harris County Criminal District Court to misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to 30 days in the Harris County Jail.
On January 15-three days after he pled guilty-the Harris County Institute for Forensic Sciences performed laboratory tests on the pills. No controlled substances were detected.
The laboratory report was forwarded to the Harris County District Attorney's conviction integrity unit, which notified Gates's defense attorney.
The defense attorney filed a motion for a new trial and on January 21, 2016, the motion was granted, the conviction was vacated, and the charge was dismissed.
- Maurice Possley
Posting Date: 05-20-2016
Case Details:
State:
Texas
County:
Harris
Most Serious Crime:
Drug Possession or Sale
Reported Crime Date:
2015
Convicted:
2016
Exonerated:
2016
Sentence:
Term of Years
Race / Ethnicity:
Black
Sex:
Male
Age at the date of reported crime:
33
Did DNA evidence contribute to the exoneration?:
No