Robert DuBoise
Robert DuBoise | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 1964 (age 61) Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| Known for | DNA exoneration after 37 years of wrongful imprisonment |
Criminal charges |
|
Criminal penalty | Death; commuted to life imprisonment |
Criminal status | Released (exonerated) |
Robert Earl DuBoise (born October 1964) is an American who was wrongfully convicted in 1983 for the rape and murder of 19-year-old Barbara Grams in Tampa, Florida. He spent nearly 37 years in prison, including three years on death row, before being exonerated in August 2020 through DNA evidence facilitated by the Innocence Project and the Hillsborough County Conviction Review Unit.
In 2024, DuBoise received a $14 million settlement from the City of Tampa, one of the largest such settlements in Florida, for his wrongful imprisonment.
His case has drawn significant attention for exposing flaws in forensic science, particularly bite mark evidence, and contributing to discussions on justice reform.
Early life
Robert DuBoise was born in 1964 in Tampa, Florida, where he grew up in a working-class family.[1][2]
Wrongful conviction
On October 22, 1983, DuBoise, then 18, was arrested for the rape and murder of Barbara Grams, a 19-year-old woman found dead behind a Tampa business in August.[3] The prosecution's case relied heavily on discredited bite mark evidence from forensic odontologist Richard Souviron and testimony from a jailhouse informant, who later recanted. [4]
DuBoise was convicted in 1985 and sentenced to death by judge Harry Coe. After his death sentence was overturned in 1988 due to legal errors, he was resentenced to life imprisonment.[5]
On August 25, 2020, a Florida judge vacated DuBoise’s conviction, and he was released from prison after nearly 37 years.[6]
In June 2023, Florida governor Ron DeSantis approved a bill that awarded DuBoise $1.85 million for his wrongful incarceration.[7]
Exoneration
In 2018, the Hillsborough County Conviction Review Unit, established by State Attorney Andrew Warren, began re-examining DuBoise's case at the request of the Innocence Project. New DNA testing, unavailable at the time of his trial, excluded DuBoise as the perpetrator and implicated two other individuals, Amos Robinson and Abron Scott, who were later charged.[8]
The case highlighted the unreliability of bite mark evidence, which has since been widely discredited in forensic science.[9]
Lawsuit and settlement
In 2021, DuBoise filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Tampa, four Tampa police officers, and forensic odontologist Richard Souviron, alleging fabricated evidence and misconduct.[10]
In February 2024, the City of Tampa agreed to a $14 million settlement, one of the largest in Florida for a wrongful conviction, acknowledging investigative failures.[6]
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw noted that the case led to improved training and investigative practices.
References
- ↑ Sullivan, Dan (September 13, 2020). "An exonerated man adjusts to life in Tampa after 37 years away". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
- ↑ "The life sentence of Robert DuBoise". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ Bonvillian, Crystal (August 5, 2022). "Florida killers accused in murder that put wrong man in jail for 37 years". WFTV.
- ↑ Simonson, Alisha Ebrahimji,Amy (2022-08-06). "DNA links two men in prison to cold case from 1983 that originally sent the wrong man to prison for 37 years". CNN. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Florida's Wrongful Conviction Compensation Law Needs Reform". Innocence Project. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- 1 2 Vargas, Ramon Antonio (2024-02-16). "Tampa man wrongfully imprisoned for nearly four decades to receive $14m". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ Sullivan, Dan (June 9, 2023). "DeSantis approves $1.85 million for wrongfully convicted Tampa man". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
- ↑ "City of Tampa Agrees to Pay Exoneree Robert DuBoise $14 Million in Wrongful Conviction Settlement". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ "Bitemark Evidence - The Innocence Center". Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ "Man Wrongfully Imprisoned for 37 Years to Receive $14 Million From City of Tampa (Published 2024)". 2024-02-16. Retrieved 2025-08-23.