Exonerated to Lead Freedom Walk During Bearcats Dash & Bash

Dean Gillispie is like a lot of people. He loves fishing, four-wheeling and taking his girlfriend for ice cream like they did on their first date. And until 1991, he was living, what he calls “the American dream.”

That all vanished in a blink of an eye for him on Feb. 12, 1991, when he was convicted of rape — a crime that the Ohio Innocence Project (OIP) director Mark Godsey says, he didn't commit. 

He was 24 years old when the prison door slammed behind him.

Nearly a decade later, Gillispie’s mom read about the OIP opening at the University of Cincinnati. She refused to give up on her son and wouldn’t allow him to give up either.

“Everyone I knew believed me. I was believed by everyone, but the court,” he remembers. “I was very hopeful when my case was taken [by the OIP].”

The Rosenthal Institute for Justice/OIP is based in the UC College of Law and just received a $15 million gift, the largest to any college and any Innocence Project. OIP director Godsey, says Gillispie has always been upbeat — even when most wouldn’t be.

He recalls Gillispie’s mother standing on his office doorstep just after opening the OIP on campus in 2002 — a large box in hand. But the journey that started with his mom and a box full of files, would take nearly a decade before Gillispie would leave his cell.

It was easily the most complicated case Godsey has ever worked on, he says.  

But after filing thousands of pages of briefs, attending multiple court hearings and finding promising evidence of his innocence, Gillispie was a free man. They won the case on two grounds, Godsey says, including police misconduct for not disclosing evidence of innocence that turned up during the investigation and very strong evidence that someone else actually committed the crime.

After serving 20 years, Gillespie, who was 45 when he was released in 2011, was the first case for the OIP and the 13th person released because of their efforts.

“Those ten years were long, frustrating, then encouraging, then disappointing. A lot of years, a lot of up and downs, but I knew I was innocent and I held on to that,” says Gillispie, recollecting the first thing he did after stepping off of the bus at home for the first time in two decades. He kissed the ground in his front yard… and later, he’d enjoy one of his favorites, his mom’s biscuits and gravy.  

It was a victory for all involved.

“[It was] amazing. All the students who had worked on his case for all those years had grown to love and respect Dean,” says Godsey, who admits that not only does great responsibility come with cases like Gillispie’s, but also a great honor.

“Being sent to prison for something you didn't do is one of the worst things imaginable. Anyone can relate to that. That's why we fight the way we do.” 

Gillispie will join 10 others who were exonerated via the OIP, on Sunday, Oct. 2, during the Bearcats Dash & Bash with a special 5K Freedom Walk.

“I have freedom, love and purpose in my life again,” says Gillispie. “Speaking for the OIP gives me satisfaction to know something good has come from what happened by spreading awareness of wrongful convictions.”

To date, the nonprofit organization that has freed 24 people, totaling more than 450 years of wrongful incarceration.

FREEDOM WALKERS:

Clarence Elkins (Served nine years for murder and sexual assault; Freed in 2005)

Robert McClendon (Served 18 years for sexual assault; Freed in 2008)

Nancy Smith (Served 15 years for GSI, sexual assault, complicity; Freed in 2009)

Ray Towler (Served 29 years for sexual assault; Freed in 2010)

Wally Zimmer (Served 12 years for manslaughter; Freed in 2011)

Dean Gillispie (Served 20 years for sexual assault; Freed in 2011)

David Ayers (Served 11 years for murder; Freed in 2011)

Bryant Rico Gains (Served nine years for murder; Freed in 2012)

Ricky Jackson (Served 39 years for murder; Freed 2014)

Derrick Wheatt (Served 18 years for murder; Freed 2015)

Laurese Glover (Served 18 years for murder; Freed 2015)

The first annual race will be held Sunday, Oct. 2, at 8:30 a.m. and encompasses two events: a 5K (3.1 miles), winding through the architectural highlights of the university’s award-winning campus, and an 18.19K (to commemorate UC’s start of 1819), taking runners through the university’s campus, the Clifton gaslight district and Mount Storm Park. 

Unique to the 5K Race will be the 5K Exoneree Freedom Walk, where OIP exonerees will walk the course, greeting and encouraging participants along the way. All 5K walkers are invited to join in this special event.

After the Dash, participants can celebrate their success at the Bash, which will be held by the finish line. Music will be provided by Dueling DJs — DJ Clear vs. Scott Ruckus — with special guest drummer, KMF. All Dash & Bash participants will be able to exchange tear-away tickets on their race bibs for a free Skyline cheese coney, Domino’s pizza and beer. Additional refreshments will be available for purchase. 

All proceeds benefit the OIP and UC’s Athletics Department Scholarship Fund.

For more information or to sign up, visit: BearcatsDash.com.