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by JENN WOOD
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For the first time in more than fifteen years, Michael Wilson Pearson walked out of a South Carolina prison Thursday afternoon a free man — his decades-long fight to prove his innocence culminating in a dramatic Clarendon County courtroom hearing that upended one of the Palmetto State’s most controversial convictions.
S.C. circuit court judge Robert Hood granted Pearson’s motion for a new trial under Rule 29 of the S.C. Rules of Criminal Procedure — vacating his 2011 convictions in the violent robbery of Edward “Slick” Gibbons and setting a $50,000 personal recognizance bond that allowed Pearson to return home that same day.
“This is a significant step forward for justice,” state representative Fawn Pedalino said at a press conference after the hearing. “Although this is not the end of this fight, it is a vital recognition that serious questions remain about the evidence and the process that led to his conviction”.
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A CASE UNRAVELING
Pearson, now 51, was one of three men charged in a 2010 home invasion that left Gibbons battered and robbed of his vehicle. The state’s case against him hinged on a disputed fingerprint identification – and the testimony of co-defendants who later changed their stories.
At Thursday’s hearing, S.C. third circuit solicitor Ernest “Chip” Finney — the same prosecutor who once secured Pearson’s 60-year sentence — told the court his office could no longer stand behind the conviction. In a Rule 29 motion filed earlier this month, Finney conceded “credible evidence” revealed a reasonable probability Pearson did not commit the crime.
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That evidence included polygraph-backed confessions from other suspects identified by co-defendant Victor Weldon, who cooperated in exchange for an 18-year plea deal in 2023; a corroborated alibi for Pearson in March 2023; and serious doubts about the fingerprint evidence, which was manually — not digitally — identified.
“There’s compelling evidence … that there’s a reasonable probability Mr. Pearson did not participate in the offenses back in 2010,” Finney said. He added that investigators were pursuing additional suspects — including a getaway driver known only by a street name — and expect to file charges soon.
Defense attorney Christine Mumma of the North Carolina Center on Actual Innocence (NCCAI) argued the solicitor’s motion effectively acknowledged Pearson’s innocence and urged dismissal rather than retrial.
“Innocent is a beautiful word,” she told the court. “It needs to stop being repulsed by the justice system”
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While Pearson’s release dominated headlines, Judge Hood made clear the court recognized the pain carried by the family of Gibbons – who passed away in 2020. Turning directly to relatives in attendance, Hood said, “I am very sorry for your loss. I appreciate your continued presence … it is very important to the court that victims and their families are participants in — and allowed to participate in — the process. I am sure this brings up some unpleasant memories, and it can be a trigger, but I do appreciate you attending today and participating in what’s going on”.
Mumma also acknowledged the cost of reopening old wounds.
“We are sorry for your loss,” she said. “Our feelings about what happened to your family member are strong and remorseful, and that’s not lost on us in this process, in the way that your wounds have been reopened … it’s not something that we ever like to do”.
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The balancing act was clear — Pearson’s freedom meant revisiting trauma for the Gibbons family, who sat through the hearing as lawyers dissected the evidence, debated confessions and discussed the failures of the original prosecution.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Hood signed the order vacating Pearson’s convictions and immediately issued bond paperwork. He emphasized all documents would be finalized before the close of business — ensuring Pearson’s release within hours.
He also ordered Pearson to have no contact with the Gibbons family and urged patience from Pearson’s relatives as he adjusted to life outside prison after so many years.
“A lot has changed in the past 15 years,” the judge said. “Be patient with him as he re-enters society”
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FREEDOM, FALLOUT, AND THE FIGHT AHEAD
Michael Pearson walked down the steps of the Clarendon County Courthouse with a smile on his face as his family and friends cheered. Standing outside the courthouse, Pearson spoke haltingly about the years he lost — his parents dying while he was behind bars, his siblings growing up without him.
“It feels good to be free,” he said. “How do you go that long knowing the truth about something you had nothing to do with? … Hopefully this won’t happen to nobody else.”
He also addressed the original prosecution: “Fifteen years ago, they told me they knew I didn’t do it. They just thought I knew something about it, and I still ended up in prison”.
Pearson’s case gained momentum after investigative reporting and sustained advocacy from lawmakers who said it exposed systemic flaws in South Carolina’s justice system.
Representative Pedalino and state senator Jeff Zell joined Pearson’s family in calling for reforms similar to those enacted in North Carolina — requiring electronic recording of interrogations, stronger eyewitness ID standards, and better evidence preservation.
“What I’m afraid of is that the justice system sweeps this under the rug,” Zell said. “We’re not going to let that happen. Oversight and reform must be where it has to be so this does not happen again.”
While Pearson’s convictions are gone, the solicitor stopped short of formally dismissing charges — telling the court his office is still pursuing other suspects and intends to “close all of the gaps that remain in this investigation.” A decision on dismissal is expected within thirty days.
For Pearson, though, Friday marked a turning point.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Pedalino said. “Today, justice finally began to catch up.”
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
As a private investigator turned journalist, Jenn Wood brings a unique skill set to FITSNews as its research director. Known for her meticulous sourcing and victim-centered approach, she helps shape the newsroom’s most complex investigative stories while producing the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts. Jenn lives in South Carolina with her family, where her work continues to spotlight truth, accountability, and justice.
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4 comments
Good! One thing that sounded a bit disturbing, the judge “ordering” Mr Pearson to not have contact with the victim’s family. I mean, WTF? The guy has been presumed not guilty of the charges so why was that even necessary? It was like a parting slap in the face from the just-us system.
Hopefully, a good attorney gets him a settlement for the years lost. I think a million dollars for each year is a good number. It will never make up for time lost with family, especially his parents, but hopefully it keeps him from worrying about financial ruin for the rest of his days and living in comfort.
This is why I can’t support the death penalty. Imagine if he was already executed.
“Systemic flaws in South Carolina’s justice system” is a joke. SC judicial system is a damn joke. Corrupt to the core
What a hypocritical take from FITSNews. These wrongful convictions can be directly tied to an unwillingness to question the government when they claim a violent crime occurred. And Will Folks is the loudest voice for harsher penalties and quicker decisions, regardless of accuracy. He calls himself a “libertarian” despite being on bended knee to most of the government.
Do not think for a second your coverage of this story makes up for the nonsense you constantly spout about the justice system.