From Death Row to Freedom: An Evening with Ray Krone

Photo Submitted

Ray Krone

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Ray Krone was sentenced to death for murder and spent more than 10 years in prison. In 2002 he became the 100^th person exonerated from death row in the United States since 1973 after DNA evidence helped clear his name. Krone will share his story at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 2, in Giffels Auditorium of Old Main.

In 1992, circumstantial evidence and a purported expert witness led to his conviction for the murder of Kim Ancona. He was sentenced to death in Arizona but continued proclaiming his innocence and fighting for his freedom.

In 1994, he was granted a retrial and was convicted again using the same evidence used in the first trial, but the judge reduced his sentence. Krone continued appealing his case until 2002, when DNA evidence pointed toward a new suspect. Krone was released, and all charges were dropped.

Krone now serves as the director of membership and training for Witness to Innocence. He travels the world speaking to students and legislators and advocating for improvements to the criminal justice system.

“I would not trust the state to execute a person for committing a crime against another person,” said Krone. “I know how the system works. I know what prison is like, I know what the judges are like, and I know what the prosecutors are like. It’s not about justice or fairness or equality. It’s absolutely wrong. Any chance I can, whether I start with one or two people or a whole auditorium filled with people, I’ll tell them what happened to me. Because if it happened to me, it can happen to anyone.”

Krone has been featured in several publications such as USA Today and the Los Angeles Times. He has also been featured in many radio and television programs such as Good Morning America and Extreme Makeover.

The lecture is sponsored by the Fulbright College honors program in conjunction with Witness to Innocence and the Arkansas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. The event is free and open to the public.