Wrongful Arrest of 8-Year-Old

The client was an 8-year-old boy who had been wrongfully charged with the 1998 murder of 11-year-old Ryan Harris. The boy was charged with murder based upon an alleged confession that another child made implicating both children to police detectives. Officers found semen on the 11-year-old decedent and signs of sexual abuse. The police eventually undertook steps to determine if an 8-year-old could produce semen, which it was confirmed they could not. Additionally, the sperm matched the DNA profile of a serial rapist in the area. The boys were kept in custody and then released to their parents after having been housed in a mental health facility for a period of time. The settlement provided significant opportunities for our client who continues to suffer from the trauma of being arrested and accused of such a terrible crime at such a young age.