Missouri Judge Overturns Conviction of Sandra Hemme After 43 Years in Prison

In a significant judicial decision, a Missouri judge has overturned the conviction of Sandra ‘Sandy’ Hemme, who has spent 43 years in prison for a 1980 murder.

Judge Ryan Horsman ruled that Hemme has established her actual innocence and must be released within 30 days unless the prosecution opts to retry her for the murder of Patricia Jeschke, a 31-year-old library worker.

The New York Post reports that the case began on November 13, 1980, when Patricia Jeschke failed to report to work.

Concerned, her mother went to her apartment, eventually gaining entry through a window. Inside, she found her daughter’s lifeless body on the floor, naked and surrounded by a pool of blood.

Jeschke’s hands were bound with a telephone cord, pantyhose were wrapped around her throat, and a knife was placed under her head.

Sandra Hemme was not initially a suspect. However, nearly two weeks later, she appeared at a nurse’s home carrying a knife and refusing to leave.

Police found Hemme hiding in a closet and took her into custody, transporting her back to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where she had a history of mental health issues and auditory hallucinations.

Judge Horsman criticized Hemme’s trial counsel as inadequate and condemned prosecutors for withholding crucial exculpatory evidence.

Hemme’s legal team highlighted that her 43-year incarceration is the longest recorded instance of a woman serving time for a wrongful conviction.

“We are grateful to the Court for acknowledging the grave injustice Ms. Hemme has endured for more than four decades,” her attorneys said in a statement.

When initially interrogated about Jeschke’s murder, Hemme was handcuffed, heavily sedated, and barely able to communicate.

Her lawyers argued that her statements were coerced and unreliable, pointing to withheld evidence implicating Michael Holman, a former police officer who attempted to use the victim’s credit card and is now deceased.

Judge Horsman concluded there is no credible evidence linking Hemme to the crime.

“In contrast, this Court finds that the evidence directly ties Holman to this crime and murder scene,” the judge wrote.

This ruling acknowledges the miscarriage of justice and paves the way for Hemme’s long-overdue release.