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State of Montana v. Freddie Joe Lawrence and Paul Jenkins
Date: 12-31-1995
Case Number:
Judge: Not Available
Court: District Court, Jefferson County, Montana
Plaintiff's Attorney: Jefferson County Montana District Attorney's Office
Defendant's Attorney:
Description:
Montana City, Montana
"Paul Jenkins and Freddie Joe Lawrence were codefendants wrongly convicted on February 24, 1995 of murder, robbery and aggravated kidnapping of 34-year-old Donna Meagher from the Jackson Creek Saloon in Montana City, Jefferson County, Montana on January 12, 1994. Among Meagher's injuries were wounds inflicted by a hammer. However, Meagher's body was found in Lewis and Clark County, so that is where Jenkins and Freddie Lawrence were prosecuted. Their prosecution's were based on the key eyewitness testimony of Mary Jenkins After their convictions by different juries sitting through a joint trial, Paul Jenkins and Freddie Lawrence were both sentenced to 100 years in prison. Their convictions and sentences were upheld by the Montana Supreme Court in October 1997. Post-conviction DNA testing in 2017 of multiple items of crime scene evidence excluded both Jenkins and Lawrence. During that period of time Fred Nelson admitted to the police that David Wayne Nelson, his uncle, admitted to killing Meagher and the robbery. David Nelson was interviewed, and although he didn't admit to the crimes, he did admit to owning a white car in 1995 that matched the car seen at the saloon about the time of Meagher's kidnapping. David Nelson was convicted of a double murder committed in 2015 -- and both those victims were beaten with a hammer. The DNA testing of a rope found near Meagher's body matched Nelson. Based on the exclusionary DNA evidence and the evidence implicating Nelson in the crime, Jenkins and Lawrence filed post-conviction motions for a new trial in January 2018. The petition was granted in April 2018. On June 1, 2018 the prosecution's motion to dismiss the charges against Jenkins and Lawrence was granted. In August 2019 Jenkins and Lawrence filed federal civil rights lawsuits that named as defendants, Lewis and Clark, Jefferson and Ravalli counties along with several investigators, including one with the state Division of Criminal Investigation. The lawsuit alleged the men's constitutional rights were violated and they were framed. In December 2019 Jenkins tentatively entered into a settlement for $6 million, and in January 2020 Ravalli County Commissioners agreed to participate in the universal $6 million settlement of all of Jenkins claims. "
"On June 1, 2018 the prosecution's motion to dismiss the charges against Jenkins and Lawrence was granted."
Age when imprisoned was 39. Age with release ws 63.
"$6 million (Lewis and Clark County, Jefferson County and Ravalli counties, January 2020)"
"Paul Jenkins and Freddie Joe Lawrence were codefendants wrongly convicted on February 24, 1995 of murder, robbery and aggravated kidnapping of 34-year-old Donna Meagher from the Jackson Creek Saloon in Montana City, Jefferson County, Montana on January 12, 1994. Among Meagher's injuries were wounds inflicted by a hammer. However, Meagher's body was found in Lewis and Clark County, so that is where Jenkins and Freddie Lawrence were prosecuted. Their prosecution's were based on the key eyewitness testimony of Mary Jenkins After their convictions by different juries sitting through a joint trial, Paul Jenkins and Freddie Lawrence were both sentenced to 100 years in prison. Their convictions and sentences were upheld by the Montana Supreme Court in October 1997. Post-conviction DNA testing in 2017 of multiple items of crime scene evidence excluded both Jenkins and Lawrence. During that period of time Fred Nelson admitted to the police that David Wayne Nelson, his uncle, admitted to killing Meagher and the robbery. David Nelson was interviewed, and although he didn't admit to the crimes, he did admit to owning a white car in 1995 that matched the car seen at the saloon about the time of Meagher's kidnapping. David Nelson was convicted of a double murder committed in 2015 -- and both those victims were beaten with a hammer. The DNA testing of a rope found near Meagher's body matched Nelson. Based on the exclusionary DNA evidence and the evidence implicating Nelson in the crime, Jenkins and Lawrence filed post-conviction motions for a new trial in January 2018. The petition was granted in April 2018. On June 1, 2018 the prosecution's motion to dismiss the charges against Jenkins and Lawrence was granted. In August 2019 Jenkins and Lawrence filed federal civil rights lawsuits that named as defendants, Lewis and Clark, Jefferson and Ravalli counties along with several investigators, including one with the state Division of Criminal Investigation. The lawsuit alleged the men's constitutional rights were violated and they were framed. In December 2019 Jenkins tentatively entered into a settlement for $6 million, and in January 2020 Ravalli County Commissioners agreed to participate in the universal $6 million settlement of all of Jenkins claims. "
"On June 1, 2018 the prosecution's motion to dismiss the charges against Jenkins and Lawrence was granted."
Age when imprisoned was 39. Age with release ws 63.
"$6 million (Lewis and Clark County, Jefferson County and Ravalli counties, January 2020)"
Outcome:
Exonerated April 2018.
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments:
About This Case
What was the outcome of State of Montana v. Freddie Joe Lawrence and Paul Jenkins?
The outcome was: Exonerated April 2018.
Which court heard State of Montana v. Freddie Joe Lawrence and Paul Jenkins?
This case was heard in District Court, Jefferson County, Montana, MT. The presiding judge was Not Available.
Who were the attorneys in State of Montana v. Freddie Joe Lawrence and Paul Jenkins?
Plaintiff's attorney: Jefferson County Montana District Attorney's Office.
When was State of Montana v. Freddie Joe Lawrence and Paul Jenkins decided?
This case was decided on December 31, 1995.