Keith Robinson

Wrongfully convicted: March 28, 1996
Released through clemency: March 14, 2023
Wayne County

Keith Robinson was convicted in 1995 of shooting and killing a woman in her home in Highland Park. Robinson was implicated by the woman’s husband and the husband’s best friend, who claimed they encountered Robinson just before the murder occurred and that he shot at them before running away toward the victim’s house. Another witness claimed to see Robinson enter the house before hearing shots. 

The Innocence Clinic began reviewing the case in 2009 and found several pieces of evidence showing that Robinson was innocent. A medical determination of time of death and a new witness (the downstairs neighbor) indicated that the victim had in fact been killed hours earlier than the prosecution theorized—which placed the murder back to a time when the victim was known to have been with her husband. The husband also had a history of domestic violence, which contributed to making him a strong alternative suspect. And the witness who had claimed to see Robinson enter the house recanted, admitting that he did not in fact see Robinson the day of the shooting. 

The Innocence Clinic litigated Robinson’s case through state and federal courts for nearly a decade. Having been denied relief in all courts, the Clinic then sought clemency from Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office Conviction Integrity Unit reviewed the case and did not oppose the grant of clemency. After a public hearing, Gov. Whitmer granted Robinson a commutation on December 23, 2022. He was released from prison on March 14, 2023

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