On June 28, 2003, Jessica Sparfven parked her car near a bike path near some woods in South Kingston, Rhode Island. When she returned to her car later that afternoon, she was about 20 feet from the vehicle when she saw a man reaching into the passenger side window of her car. Sparfven yelled, and the man ran away.
On the ground outside her vehicle, she found the faceplate to the car radio as well as her purse, her cell phone, and several compact discs on the ground outside of her car. Sparfven called the police. An officer recovered a screwdriver on the ground. Sparfven described the man as a Black male, average height, wearing a white sleeveless shirt, red shorts, and white shoes.
When police went into the woods, they found 38-year-old Alan Sampson, who was of Narragansett descent, a Native American tribe. He said that he had come to the woods to dispose of some shingles. He said he heard police sirens and panicked because his driver's license was suspended, and only two days earlier, a judge had warned him that if he were charged with driving without a license, he would get a year in prison. Police found Sampson's vehicle with the motor still running.
When taken into custody, Sampson was shirtless and wearing dark red jean shorts and black shoes. The police told him that if Sparfven was unable to identify him, he would be released. However, Sparfven failed to identify him, and Sampson was arrested anyway. He was charged with attempted larceny over $500, a felony, and a misdemeanor count of manipulation of a vehicle.
He went to trial in Washington County Superior Court in February 2004. A North Kingston Police Department officer testified that, although he examined the screwdriver located at the scene of the crime for fingerprints, he was unable to successfully lift any prints. The officer also testified that the faceplate to the car radio as well as the victim's purse, her cell phone, and several compact discs should have been collected and tested but they were not.
Evidence was presented that Sparfven did not see the face of the perpetrator and failed to identify Sampson as the perpetrator.
Nevertheless, on February 5, 2004, a jury convicted Sampson of both counts. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison on the felony count, with all but four years suspended. He moved for a new trial on the basis that the state had failed to produce evidence that the value of the items in question was at least $500 dollars. The motion was denied, and Sampson was sentenced to a concurrent sentence of one year on the misdemeanor conviction.
Sampson appealed. He argued that Sparfven had failed to identify him and that the state had failed to prove that the items were valued at more than $500.
On April 26, 2006, Sampson was released on parole. Ultimately, the prosecution conceded that Sampson was entitled to a new trial on the felony count because there had been no evidence of the value of the items. On October 13, 2010, the felony conviction was vacated, and the charge was dismissed. Sampson then dropped his appeal of the misdemeanor conviction as a matter of judicial economy.
In June 2024, after Rhode Island passed a wrongful conviction compensation statute, Sampson filed a claim for compensation.
On December 6, 2024, Presiding Superior Court Justice Alice Gibney awarded Sampson $160,273 in compensation and an additional $15,000 for legal fees.
"Although the Count 2 charge-misdemeanor manipulation of a vehicle-remains undisturbed, [Sampson] has provided evidence that Sparfven could not positively identify him as the perpetrator and that all of the items located at the scene of the crime should have been collected for analysis," Justice Gibney ruled. "The state provides no evidence to rebut those claims."
The judge said she was "satisfied, by a preponderance of the evidence" that Sampson "did not commit any of the crimes charged."
"[T]he Court finds that [Sampson] is entitled to compensation for his wrongful conviction and imprisonment," Judge Gibney declared.
- Maurice Possley
On the ground outside her vehicle, she found the faceplate to the car radio as well as her purse, her cell phone, and several compact discs on the ground outside of her car. Sparfven called the police. An officer recovered a screwdriver on the ground. Sparfven described the man as a Black male, average height, wearing a white sleeveless shirt, red shorts, and white shoes.
When police went into the woods, they found 38-year-old Alan Sampson, who was of Narragansett descent, a Native American tribe. He said that he had come to the woods to dispose of some shingles. He said he heard police sirens and panicked because his driver's license was suspended, and only two days earlier, a judge had warned him that if he were charged with driving without a license, he would get a year in prison. Police found Sampson's vehicle with the motor still running.
When taken into custody, Sampson was shirtless and wearing dark red jean shorts and black shoes. The police told him that if Sparfven was unable to identify him, he would be released. However, Sparfven failed to identify him, and Sampson was arrested anyway. He was charged with attempted larceny over $500, a felony, and a misdemeanor count of manipulation of a vehicle.
He went to trial in Washington County Superior Court in February 2004. A North Kingston Police Department officer testified that, although he examined the screwdriver located at the scene of the crime for fingerprints, he was unable to successfully lift any prints. The officer also testified that the faceplate to the car radio as well as the victim's purse, her cell phone, and several compact discs should have been collected and tested but they were not.
Evidence was presented that Sparfven did not see the face of the perpetrator and failed to identify Sampson as the perpetrator.
Nevertheless, on February 5, 2004, a jury convicted Sampson of both counts. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison on the felony count, with all but four years suspended. He moved for a new trial on the basis that the state had failed to produce evidence that the value of the items in question was at least $500 dollars. The motion was denied, and Sampson was sentenced to a concurrent sentence of one year on the misdemeanor conviction.
Sampson appealed. He argued that Sparfven had failed to identify him and that the state had failed to prove that the items were valued at more than $500.
On April 26, 2006, Sampson was released on parole. Ultimately, the prosecution conceded that Sampson was entitled to a new trial on the felony count because there had been no evidence of the value of the items. On October 13, 2010, the felony conviction was vacated, and the charge was dismissed. Sampson then dropped his appeal of the misdemeanor conviction as a matter of judicial economy.
In June 2024, after Rhode Island passed a wrongful conviction compensation statute, Sampson filed a claim for compensation.
On December 6, 2024, Presiding Superior Court Justice Alice Gibney awarded Sampson $160,273 in compensation and an additional $15,000 for legal fees.
"Although the Count 2 charge-misdemeanor manipulation of a vehicle-remains undisturbed, [Sampson] has provided evidence that Sparfven could not positively identify him as the perpetrator and that all of the items located at the scene of the crime should have been collected for analysis," Justice Gibney ruled. "The state provides no evidence to rebut those claims."
The judge said she was "satisfied, by a preponderance of the evidence" that Sampson "did not commit any of the crimes charged."
"[T]he Court finds that [Sampson] is entitled to compensation for his wrongful conviction and imprisonment," Judge Gibney declared.
- Maurice Possley
Posting Date: 12-30-2024
Last Update Date: 12-30-2024
Case Details:
State:
Rhode Island
County:
Washington
Most Serious Crime:
Attempt, Nonviolent
Additional Convictions:
Misdemeanor
Reported Crime Date:
2003
Convicted:
2004
Exonerated:
2024
Sentence:
Term of Years
Race / Ethnicity:
Native American
Sex:
Male
Age at the date of reported crime:
38
Did DNA evidence contribute to the exoneration?:
No