Charles Irvin Fain, who spent over 18 years on Idaho's...

Charles Irvin Fain, who spent over 18 years on Idaho's death row, has been freed with all charges dismissed. Fain was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1982 sexual assault and drowning of 9-year-old Daralyn Johnson. At his trial, the case against Fain rested on the opinion of an FBI forensics expert who testified that hairs found on the victim's clothing may have been Fain's. However, in March 2000, U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill authorized funds for additional forensic testing of the hairs. The new tests concluded that the hairs found on the victim did not come from Fain. His conviction was also based on the testimony of two jailhouse informers, who claimed Fain had confessed in lurid details. He is the 97th death row inmate exonerated since 1973 and the 11th whose case involved a DNA exclusion. Exonerations have now been reported from 23 different states.