Trial Magazine

In 1984, Robert Aldridge and Mary Wilcox were accused of child sex abuse. Although a search of their apartment allegedly did not yield incriminating evidence and an examination of the accusers allegedly revealed no signs of abuse, Aldridge and Wilcox were sentenced to life in prison.

In 1992, an investigator interviewed the child accusers, who allegedly said that police had coerced them into implicating Aldridge and Wilcox. The accusers recanted their original testimony under oath.

In 1996, a trial court overturned the convictions and ordered a new trial. After an appellate court affirmed, the state dismissed all charges.

Aldridge and Wilcox (now Reach) sued the state for wrongful imprisonment. The plaintiffs argued that the state had failed to turn over to the defense a 28-page police report containing exculpatory statements from the accusers. Additionally, the plaintiffs asserted that the prosecution had failed to disclose medical evidence showing the alleged victims did not manifest any symptoms of sexual abuse.

The parties settled for $1.9 million, including $1.1 million to Reach and the rest to Aldridge.

Citation: Reach v. State, No. 2020-00339WI (Ohio Ct. Cl. June 15, 2020).

Plaintiff counsel: AAJ member Bart Keyes, Columbus, Ohio. Plaintiff experts: Rod Durgin, vocations, Toledo, Ohio; and Malcolm Cohen, economics, Ann Arbor, Mich.