In May, 1999, the state of Illinois exonerated convicted...

In May, 1999, the state of Illinois exonerated convicted murderer Ronald Jones, the 3rd person freed from Illinois' death row in 1999, and the 12th since 1987. Several were freed after investigations by journalism students at Northwestern University proved the inmates' innocence. Oklahoma, Louisiana, Missouri, South Carolina and North Carolina have also freed inmates from death row this year after evidence of their innocence emerged.