The Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project (MAIP) commends Governor Tim Kaine on his decision to grant full pardons to Arthur Lee Whitfield and Victor “Bo” Burnette.  

“We are relieved that the governor recognized the need to correct the miscarriage of justice that occurred in these two men’s cases,” said Shawn Armbrust, Executive Director of MAIP.

Arthur Whitfield’s case was among those reviewed in 2005 by the Innocence Commission for Virginia, a MAIP-led coalition that examined the first 11 DNA exonerations in Virginia.  After its review of Whitfield’s case, MAIP called on then Governor Mark Warner to order testing in any case in which DNA evidence was available in the state forensic laboratory.   Governor Warner subsequently ordered the Department of Forensic Science to search its files for any such evidence dating from the era before DNA testing was readily available.  To date, more than 2,100 files have been identified as containing potentially exonerating DNA evidence.  Burnette’s file was among those located through this search. 

“MAIP is thrilled to see that Governor Warner’s order continues to result in the exoneration of innocent Virginia men.  We are confident that more innocent Virginians will be exonerated as the testing program runs its course,” said Armbrust.

For additional coverage of this news story, please visit the following sites:

Richmond Times Dispatch:  Gov. Kaine pardons two in rape cases

Virginian Pilot:  Norfolk man exonerated by DNA gets pardon

WSLS:  Gov. Kaine pardons 2 men convicted of rape after new DNA evidence

Daily Press:  2 men pardoned in rape cases after DNA tests

WAVY:  Kaine pardons 2 convicted of rape

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