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Detroit man exonerated by DNA result, freed from prison after 17 years

DougDante

March 25, 2026

63 upvotes

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2026/03/24/detroit-man-dell-crawford-exonerated-dna-result-freed-from-prison-after-17-years/89306038007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z116941p119950l004450c119950e002600v116941d--49--b--49--&gca-ft=923&gca-ds=sophi&link_source=ta_first_comment&taid=69c438eec28e2a00013b8b5a

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Post Information

Title	Detroit man exonerated by DNA result, freed from prison after 17 years
Author	DougDante
Upvotes	63
Comments	1
Date	March 25, 2026 11:39 PM UTC (3 months ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/1s3rbuk/detroit_man_exonerated_by_dna_result_freed_from/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/detroit-man-exonerated-by-dna-result-freed-from.1576392 https://theredarchive.com/post/1576392

Comments

[–]DougDante[S] 1 point2 points3 points 3 months ago (0 children) | Copy Link

Social media with me to seek justice:

1/ A Detroit man, Dell Crawford, just walked out after 17 years when DNA under the victim’s nails proved he wasn’t the killer. Story: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2026/03/24/detroit-man-dell-crawford-exonerated-dna-result-freed-from-prison-after-17-years/89306038007/

2/ When DNA sits untested, the wrong person can be caged for years while the real perpetrator stays free—and victims and families are denied real answers.

3/ Michigan law (MCL 752.933 et seq.) already requires sexual assault kits to be submitted and tested within set time limits once victims release them to law enforcement.

4/ If all biological evidence in serious cases—including SA kits and fingernail scrapings—were tested quickly, people like Crawford could be cleared far earlier.

5/ Enforcing and funding these testing rules is basic public safety. It protects innocent people and helps identify serial violent offenders instead of leaving evidence on a shelf.

6/ No family should wait decades for the truth, and no survivor should ever learn their kit was never tested despite laws meant to prevent that.

7/ More background in this thread: https://x.com/DougDante1/status/2035122710255157617

cc: @POTUS @VP @SenateDems @SenateGOP @HouseDemocrats @HouseGOP @SenGaryPeters @SenStabenow @GovWhitmer @MIAttyGen @KymLWorthy @CivilRights @TheJusticeDept