White & Case Helps Secure a Reversal of Death Row Inmate Jason Andrew Simpson's Convictions

Global law firm White & Case LLP, working pro bono as amici curiae to the Innocence Project and Innocence Project of Florida, has helped secure a crucial judgment in the Supreme Court of Florida with the reversal of death row inmate Jason Andrew Simpson's convictions. 

The judgment, which vacated Simpson's two convictions of first-degree murder, was secured on the basis that the state committed a Brady violation by failing to disclose that a witness at trial was a confidential informant for the state. 

Raoul Cantero, White & Case partner and lawyer on the case said, "We are thrilled for Jason and grateful that he will have the opportunity to have a fair trial. This is an outstanding accomplishment for our team who never lost faith that justice would prevail, and for Jason's lead post-conviction attorney, John Mills, who skillfully and ardently argued his case."

John Mills, partner at Bishop & Mills and Simpson's lead post-conviction attorney, added: "This was a twelve-plus year journey uncovering ample post-conviction evidence of Jason’s actual innocence as well as truly reprehensible misconduct by the prosecution and about the worst case of ineffective assistance of counsel one could imagine. Having not just the Innocence Project, but also one of the world's premier law firms representing them to support our position in the Florida Supreme Court through the unmatched talents of Mr. Cantero and his amazing team really helped us put the case in the best posture for the Court to recognize and correct a tremendous injustice."

Simpson was convicted in 2007 of the first-degree murders of Archie Howard Crook and Kimberli Michelle Kimbler, which occurred in 1999. The witness, whose work as an informant had not been disclosed, was Crook's son, Archie Clyde Crook or "Little Archie." The court found that Little Archie's role as a confidential informant against George Michael Durrance, an associate of Crook and Simpson in the drug trade, should have been disclosed at trial. 

The Innocence Project's amicus curiae brief also submitted that Simpson’s counsel in his 2007 trial never adequately investigated evidence that would have supported his defense, including DNA evidence consistent with his version of events, and that the prosecution failed to disclose evidence casting doubt on the credibility of their star witness.

The White & Case team included partner Raoul Cantero in Miami, director of executive projects Amity Boye in Tampa (admitted to practice in Florida), counsel Karen Eisenstadt in Boston, and associates Ariel Oseasohn and Adriana Foreman in New York, and Tiffany Tejeda-Rodriguez in Los Angeles. 

Post-conviction counsel for Simpson included John Mills and Courtney Brewer of Bishop & Mills and Sonya Rudenstine. 

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