Jean was wrongly convicted of rape almost 20 years ago but received a full pardon from Easley on Friday after DNA test results proved his innocence. Jean's lawyers have pointed to his wrongful imprisonment and subsequent pardon as evidence of DNA testing's worth in criminal cases.
"Based on new scientific evidence, we know that Lesly Jean was not the perpetrator," Easley stated in a press release.
Jean's attorneys, Rebecca Britton and Rick Glazier, stood by him at the press conference and expressed relief that justice has finally been served. Jean was convicted in December 1982 of raping a woman in Onslow County on July 21, 1982. Jean was a marine stationed at Camp Lejeune at the time.
Having served nine years of his two life-term sentences, Jean was released from prison in 1991 based on a federal court's ruling that improprieties occurred during the investigation. Easley's pardon exhonerates Jean and allows him to receive benefits.
In January, Jean applied for a pardon of his sentence based on DNA tests that proved his innocence. Additional testing was done last week by the State Bureau of Investigation and Laboratory Corporation of America confirming what Jean has known for almost 20 years -- he is innocent.
His recent pardon has added fuel to a fire that has been recently sparked about the merits of DNA testing in criminal cases. "DNA testing is time consuming and costly, but it is an unimpeachable, unequivocal reflection of the truth," Glazier said.
The N.C. Innocence Protection Act, a bill that could be introduced in the legislature this session, will mandate DNA testing for evidential purposes in courts when circumstances allow, Britton said. "Cost is a factor," she said. "But how much more does it cost to execute someone or keep them in jail for life?
"It is reprehensible that we can overlook the possibility to uncover the absolute truth (in our system)."
At the end of the conference, Jean, who now lives in New York, said he was anxious to become a productive member of society and find a job in the social service field.
