DeMarlo Berry was wrongfully convicted in 1995 at the age of 19 for the 1994 Las Vegas murder of Charles Burkes. Mr. Berry always maintained his innocence. Although there was no physical evidence linking Mr. Berry to the crime – no gun, no fingerprints, and no DNA – he was convicted and sentenced to life. He would spend the next 22+ years in prison.
In 2011, RMIC began a post-conviction investigation that uncovered important evidence, eventually proving that Mr. Berry was completely innocent. This evidence included a confession from the actual perpetrator, a recantation from an incentivized jailhouse informant, and other corroborating evidence.
The law firms of Richards Brandt Miller Nelson, and Weil & Drage joined the Rocky Mountain Innocence Center in litigating the case and ultimately proved Mr. Berry innocent of all charges. In June of 2017, the newly-launched Clark County Conviction Review Unit stipulated to Mr. Berry’s exoneration, and Judge Villani signed an order on June 28, 2017, exonerating Mr. Berry and ordering his immediate release from prison.
RMIC is honored to return Mr. Berry to his family, including his wife of seven years, his grandmother, and his community.