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Wrongly Imprisoned For 43 Years, Kevin Strickland Is Still Waiting To Be Freed

By Steve Kraske,

Published June 8, 2021 at 4:13 PM CDT

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Because of confusion over whether innocence is enough for a non-death penalty conviction to be overturned in Missouri, Kevin Strickland remains incarcerated at a prison in DeKalb County.

Despite setbacks, Strickland's legal team still has an avenue to securing their client's freedom.

In spite of Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker asking that Strickland be freed, the Missouri Supreme Court recently declined to hear Strickland’s petition. In addition, Missouri Governor Mike Parson passed him over on his latest list of pardons. Now his attorney is faced with bringing Strickland's petition to the circuit court of DeKalb County where his client is imprisoned.

Sean O’Brien, professor at the UMKC School of Law and a founding board member of the Midwest Innocence Project

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Up To Date Podcast Missouri Supreme Court criminal justice Midwest Innocence Project Jackson County Prosecutor's Office Governor Mike Parson Eric Schmitt Missouri Attorney General

Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

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Danie Alexander

As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.

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Mackenzie Martin

Whether it’s something happening right now or something that happened 100 years ago, some stories don’t fit in the short few minutes of a newscast. As a podcast producer and reporter at KCUR Studios, I help investigate questions and local curiosities in a way that brings listeners along for adventures with plot twists and thought-provoking ideas. Sometimes there isn’t an easy answer in the end – but my hope is that we all leave with a greater understanding of the city we live in. Reach me at mackenzie@kcur.org.

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