Ernest Lyons

Ernest Lyons was convicted of murdering a man who was later found alive.

In July 1908, Lyons, the newly elected pastor of small church in Reid's Ferry, Virginia got into a quarrel with the old pastor, James Smith, over $45 in church funds. Lyons threatened to kill Smith. Smith soon disappeared from the community. A few months afterwards a decomposed body that seemed to match Smith's description was found near Suffolk. When questioned, Lyons, in an attempt to avoid prosecution, falsely stated he had seen Smith in Norfolk and in other towns.

After Lyons' trial and conviction, the judge was willing to grant his lawyer's motion for a hearing for a new trial, but only after the lawyer went to Lyons, told him the motion was denied, and asked what really happened. When the lawyer followed instructions, Lyons stated he had been involved in the murder as part of a conspiracy with church members who had testified for the prosecution. Three years later Smith was located living in North Carolina. He had read newspaper stories about Lyons' trial and conviction, but had done nothing because he feared prosecution for absconding with the $45 over which he and Lyons had quarreled.

References

* [http://www.law.northwestern.edu/wrongfulconvictions/exonerations/vaLyonsSummary.html Center on Wrongful Convictions]