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Marvin Haynes walked out of prison 1 year ago. His exoneration led to change.

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Published  December 11, 2024 7:24am CST
Doc 9
FOX 9
article

Marvin Haynes when he was 16 (left) and when he was released from prison (right).

The Brief

    • Marvin Haynes walked out of prison one year ago after his murder conviction was vacated due to faulty eyewitness identification.
    • Haynes, who was just 16 years old when he was arrested, spent nearly 20 years in prison.
    • His exoneration led to new legislation in Minnesota regarding post-conviction relief and interrogation tactics.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Be sure to watch "'I am Innocent': The Marvin Haynes Story" this Sunday, Dec. 15, at 9:30 p.m. on FOX 9, FOX LOCAL and YouTube. The documentary details Haynes’ arrest and exoneration through video evidence, expert testimony and interviews. 

Marvin Haynes timeline

The arrest

Marvin Haynes when he was 16 years old. 

  • May 16, 2004: Randy Sherer is murdered during a robbery inside Jerry’s Flower Shop in Minneapolis.
  • May 19, 2004: Marvin Haynes,16, is arrested for murder based on eyewitness testimony. There is no physical evidence linking him to the crime.
  • Sept. 2, 2005: Haynes is convicted of first-degree murder and second-degree assault. Haynes maintains his innocence.
  • Jan. 4, 2007: The Minnesota Supreme Court upholds Haynes’ conviction.

The review

Marvin Haynes exonerated press conference [RAW]

A judge has vacated the first-degree murder conviction for Marvin Haynes, who was sentenced to life in prison for a 2004 murder at a Minneapolis flower shop. Hennepin County Judge William Koch on Monday morning signed an order vacating Haynes' conviction in the slaying of Randy Harry Sherer at Jerry's Flower Shop. Haynes, who was 16 at the time of the 2004 crime, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 2005.

  • June 29, 2023: Marvin Haynes and the Great North Innocence Project file a petition to have his conviction vacated due to "defective eyewitness identification evidence."
  • July 19, 2023: Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty agrees to waive the statute of limitations that would have prevented an evidentiary review hearing.
  • Nov. 27, 2023: A two-day hearing begins in Hennepin County after Judge William Koch grants an evidentiary review. Testimony, including from the lead investigator, details how Minneapolis Police relied primarily on faulty line-up procedures.
  • Nov. 28, 2023: Haynes testifies in court and tells the judge he did not commit the murder.

The release

Haynes rebuilds life after wrongful conviction

Marvin Haynes is rebuilding his life after spending almost 20 years behind bars. He started by visiting the Mall of America.

  • Dec. 11, 2023: Judge William Koch vacates Haynes' conviction because of "unconstitutional" eyewitness testimony. Haynes walks out of prison in Stillwater that same day.
  • May 17, 2024: Minneapolis Police say they will not re-open its investigation into the murder of Randy Sherer.
  • May 24, 2024: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signs new legislation preventing law enforcement from lying to juveniles about evidence and lifts the statute of limitations on post-conviction relief when new evidence is discovered. Both laws are directly attributed to Marvin Haynes.
  • Nov. 7, 2024: Marvin Haynes files a petition seeking nearly $2 million for losses and damages due to his wrongful conviction.

Marvin Haynes reflects on long journey to freedom

Sunday marks a troubling anniversary for Marvin Haynes. On this day, 20 years ago, Minneapolis police arrested Haynes for a murder he insisted he never committed. Two decades later, Haynes is now a free man and fully exonerated after he was released from prison last December.