Curtis Kingwood was exonerated and freed on November 2, 2023 returning home to his family after OVER A DECADE BEHIND BARS

Mr. Kingwood’s wrongful conviction was based on evidence that was fabricated by disgraced Philadelphia Homicide Detective Phillip Nordo. Two eye-witnesses changed their initial descriptions to match Mr. Kingwood and his co-defendant after Detective Nordo promised each of them $20,000 in exchange for their testimony. One of those witnesses cooperated in other cases for Nordo, including testifying as an eye-witness in anotherhomicide trial on the same day that he testified against Mr. Kingwood. Years later Detective Nordo was charged and convicted for sexually assaulting several people during police interrogations. He is currently serving a 50-year prison sentence for sexual assault.

 In 2021, the Philadelphia Conviction Integrity Unit began investigating Mr. Kingwood’s conviction after the trial ADA brought the case to their attention, having witnessed a troubling interaction between Nordo and Mr. Kingwood. Upon review, the CIU discovered documents in their file revealing that Nordo’s partner testified falsely to explain the length of the interrogation and obscure Nordo’s involvement. After an extensive investigation, the Philadelphia DAO agreed that Mr. Kingwood was entitled to a new trial. Mr. Kingwood’s conviction was finally overturned two years later by the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, and the DAO moved to dismiss all charges against him and his co-defendant Faheem Davis.