DNA evidence exonerates death row inmate

A Louisiana man has become the eighteenth death row inmate to be exonerated by new DNA evidence since 1993. Damon Thibodeaux was absolved of the rape and murder of a relative following a seven-year investigation which produced DNA evidence contradicting his confession. Investigators say Thibodeaux's 1997 confession was drawn while under duress by detectives who allegedly took advantage of his exhaustion and fed him details of the crime. The 37-year-old had spent 23 hours per day in solitary confinement awaiting his execution.