County of Conviction: CabellConvicted of: 1st Degree MurderSentence: Life without Mercy
Time Served: 8 years
WVIP Involvement: Amicus Curiae Brief
Quinton Peterson was convicted of first degree murder in 2008 in Cabell
County. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility
of parole. Despite this conviction, Mr. Peterson maintains that he is innocent.
At trial, the prosecution used shoe print analysis in an attempt to link Mr.
Peterson to the scene of the crime. However, the evidentiary value of shoe
print analysis has been continually challenged by members of the forensic
science community. Most notably, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science
and Technology issued a report in 2016 which outlined the technical problems
associated with using shoe print analysis as evidence in criminal proceedings.
In order to inform the Court of this dissent in the forensic science community,
the West Virginia Innocence Project filed a Brief Amicus Curiae with the
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. Oral arguments on Mr. Peterson’s
case were heard, and his direct appeal was denied June 2017.