Javon Davis

5 YEARS IN PRISON

Javon Davis was wrongfully convicted in 2015 for a shooting that occurred outside the Minnesota Twins stadium in 2014. Two victims were injured, one critically. There was no physical evidence against Javon and the only identification was extremely questionable, but the prosecutor argued that this was a revenge shooting due to a history of conflict between Javon and one of the victims. Javon was convicted and sentenced to 28 years in prison. Javon steadfastly maintained his innocence and when visited by University of Minnesota law students screening the case, he told them he was, “Innocence Project, innocent.”

At trial, the victim who had past troubles with Javon testified that he was certain that Javon was not at the scene of the crime, and that he did not want to send an innocent man to prison. This was consistent with his first two statements to police. However, in a third statement after being lied to and told the police had Javon on video shooting at the victims, the victim said it was possible Javon was the shooter. In addition, a co-defendant who was also charged with the same crimes, but inexplicably had all charges against him dropped, testified that Javon made inculpatory statements to him. 

However, Javon had an alibi. At the moment of the shooting, he was about seven miles away from Target Field talking and texting on his cell phone with his girlfriend. This alibi was supported by cell phone data, tower records, and by his girlfriend’s testimony as well as that of another friend. Further, there were two witnesses who were never called at trial who would have testified that the co-defendant admitted to them he was lying and would say anything to avoid prison himself. At a post-conviction hearing in 2019, the Innocence Project of Minnesota showed the court that Javon’s proof of innocence and other evidence was mishandled by his attorney at the trial which resulted in his conviction. 

In March 2020, after serving over 5 years in prison, the district court judge agreed that the convictions against Javon should be vacated and he was released from prison. Two weeks later the prosecution dismissed all charges “in the interests of justice.”