BCLP Partner Charlie Weiss Quoted in St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Kezer Exoneration Coverage

BCLP Partner Charlie Weiss was quoted in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch regarding his pivotal role in overturning the wrongful conviction of Joshua Kezer— a St. Louis resident convicted in 1994 for the 1992 murder of Angela Mischelle Lawless. Lawless, 19, was found fatally shot in her car near Benton, Missouri. Despite a lack of credible evidence linking him to the crime, Kezer was sentenced to 60 years in prison.

Working alongside the Midwest Innocence Project, Charlie led a comprehensive reexamination of Kezer’s case. His efforts uncovered significant flaws in the original investigation, as well as compelling new evidence— a court decision finding Kezer innocent of the Lawless murder, ultimately securing his exoneration in 2009.

The case has recently resurfaced with the indictment of Leon Lamb, Lawless’s former boyfriend, for her murder. Addressing the development, Charlie stated, “I’m surprised and puzzled that there’s an indictment against Leon Lamb. We were involved in this case for years, and there’s no indication we found at all that Leon Lamb had anything to do with the murder of Mischelle Lawless.”

The Post-Dispatch also highlighted Charlie’s previous work, including his leading role in the exoneration of Donald “Doc” Nash— a high-profile case that shared striking similarities to that of Kezer’s. Read the full story here.

Through the firm’s partnership with the Midwest Innocence Project, BCLP continues to fight for justice and advocate for the wrongfully convicted.