Jimmie "Chris" Duncan, a Louisiana man who spent nearly three decades on death row, has been released after the state's highest court unanimously overturned his 1998 murder conviction. The Louisiana Supreme Court affirmed a lower court's decision to vacate Duncan's conviction, citing newly presented evidence that significantly undermined the foundational forensic testimony used during his original trial. This development brings renewed scrutiny to forensic science practices and the broader justice system.
"The Louisiana Supreme Court has ruled that Jimmy Duncan's conviction and death sentence were the product of junk science and that he is factually innocent." — Robert Dunham
Duncan, 57, was convicted in 1998 for the death of Haley Oliveaux, his then-girlfriend's 23-month-old daughter. He was subsequently sentenced to death. The prosecution's case relied heavily on bite-mark evidence presented by forensic dentist Michael West and testimony from pathologist Dr. Steven Hayne. Prosecutors argued that marks found on Oliveaux’s body matched Duncan’s teeth and that the child had been sexually assaulted, leading to an upgrade of Duncan's initial negligent homicide charge to first-degree murder.
The appeal that ultimately led to Duncan's exoneration centered on a previously unseen examination video. This footage, which defense attorneys argued challenged the reliability of the bite-mark evidence, showed West manipulating a dental mold against the child’s skin. This manipulation raised critical questions about the origin and integrity of the bite marks presented as evidence at trial. The Innocence Project joined Duncan’s legal team in 2022, bringing this new evidence to the forefront.
During a six-day evidentiary hearing in 2024, retired District Court Judge Alvin Sharp reviewed the controversial footage. Following his review, Judge Sharp granted Duncan’s claim of factual innocence in April 2025, leading to the vacating of his conviction. Prosecutors subsequently appealed this decision to the Louisiana Supreme Court. The state's highest court unanimously affirmed Judge Sharp's ruling, stating that the new evidence "undermined the core factual premises" of the state’s case. The court further concluded that identifying the alleged bite marks as having been made by Duncan was "scientifically indefensible."
Additional evidence presented during the appeals process also raised concerns about the reliability of a jailhouse informant, Michael Cruse, whose testimony was used by prosecutors at the original trial. Cruse had claimed Duncan confessed to him but later recanted his testimony. Duncan’s defense attorneys also argued that evidence concerning previous injuries suffered by Oliveaux and alternative explanations for certain injuries were not adequately considered during the initial trial proceedings.
The legal team emphasized that the bite-mark evidence was pivotal to Duncan's conviction, and the newly reviewed video fundamentally altered the understanding of the forensic analysis used against him. Even former District Attorney Jerry Jones, who prosecuted Duncan’s original case, later acknowledged that the bite-mark testimony should not have been presented. Jones stated that he was unaware of the evidence's unreliability at the time of the trial.
This case has reignited scrutiny regarding the forensic testimony provided by Dr. Steven Hayne and Michael West, whose work has been challenged in other cases across the nation. Reports indicate that Duncan is not the only individual whose conviction has been questioned or overturned due to concerns about forensic evidence connected to these two experts.
Despite the overturning of his conviction, Duncan’s legal challenges may not be entirely resolved. Ouachita Parish District Attorney Steve Tew has publicly stated that prosecutors intend to retry the case. Tew argues that the state's evidence did not rely solely on the bite-mark testimony. Duncan was released on bail prior to the Louisiana Supreme Court issuing its final ruling. He has expressed hope that his case will serve as a precedent to prevent similar wrongful convictions in the future. Notably, Oliveaux's mother and members of her father's family have publicly supported Duncan's release and the efforts to overturn his conviction.
