13 May 2006 :

a federal jury ruled that a former state police investigator fabricated a confession that sent Earl Washington Jr. to death row for a rape and murder he didn't commit. Washington came within 9 days of being executed. Jurors awarded Washington $2.25 million against the estate of Curtis Reese Wilmore, who died in 1994. It did so upon finding that Wilmore deliberately fabricated evidence against Washington, which resulted in Washington's conviction and death sentence.
Wilmore's lawyers acknowledged Washington's innocence but argued that Wilmore did not fabricate the confession.
Washington is now a maintenance worker in Virginia Beach.