After 46+ years in prison, Ricky Lee Webb shares his story

The Tennessee Innocence Project is pleased to announce extraordinary news about its client, Ricky Lee Webb. Convicted in 1976 for a rape and murder he did not commit, Ricky was sentenced to consecutive life sentences. On Friday, October 4th, Ricky Lee Webb was released from prison after his conviction was overturned. He spent 46 years, 8 months, and 20 days behind bars, maintaining his innocence throughout. 

In 2021, Ricky reached out to the Tennessee Innocence Project, placing his trust in the Tennessee Innocence Project to fight for his freedom. His legal team—Connor Webber, Quinn Carlson, and Jessica Van Dyke—worked tirelessly to overturn his wrongful conviction.  

Ricky’s case was presented in court earlier this year, and after decades of wrongful incarceration, his convictions were recently overturned by Gibson County. Despite enduring nearly 47 years of unimaginable hardship, Ricky never stopped fighting for justice, and he is now a free man. 

Ricky Lee Webb’s released occurred on the same week Wrongful Conviction Day, an international day that honors the courage and resilience of wrongfully convicted persons and exonerees. The Tennessee Innocence Project also honors the stories of its exonerees: Artis Whitehead, Joyce Watkins, Charlie Dunn, Shane Garrett, Wayne Burgess, and Claude Garrett. Collectively, these six individuals spent almost 147 years in prison for crimes they did not commit. Their stories remind us of the ongoing need for justice reform and the vital role advocacy plays in correcting these devastating wrongs.