TOLEDO, Ohio — The man who has become the public face of wrongful conviction claims in Toledo will be one of the first people to have his case reviewed by the county's new conviction integrity unit.
11 Investigates has learned that Willie Knighten's case is being reviewed by the CIU, which was formally announced at a Tuesday morning press conference.
"At this time, I'm just trusting the process," Knighten said.
One of the criteria for review listed by Prosecutor Julia Bates included the person being incarcerated. Knighten has been free from prison since 2009 after being convicted of murder for a 1996 drive-by shooting.
But in an interview on Tuesday, Bates told 11 Investigates that Knighten's case is "unique."
Knighten was convicted at a bench trial by Judge William Skow, who on his deathbed said he believed Knighten was innocent, resulting in the Toledoan's release from prison after then-Gov. Ted Strickland granted him clemency. In 2022, Gov. Mike DeWine pardoned him. He has never been exonerated by the court, though he is listed on the University of Michigan's National Registry of Exonerations. An exoneration would allow him to sue for wrongful imprisonment and receive compensation for his more than a dozen years in prison.
In the years since he was released, Knighten has worked with troubled youth, has helped former prisoners deal with re-entry through his Above & Beyond Care behavioral health program, and has been an advocate for those with wrongful conviction claims. He was at Tuesday morning's press conference and was recognized by Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken, who has supported and helped launch the CIU.
About the CIU, he told 11 Investigates: “This was definitely needed. It was time for it. And I believe that collaboration between the prosecutor’s office and the commissioner’s office is what it’s going to take. The accountability will be there.”
There are four additional cases currently under review by the CIU. The prosecutor's office would not provide those names.