JoAnn Parks

JoAnn Parks was convicted of murdering her own three children who died in an accidental fire based on an inaccurate and biased arson investigation.  In 2011, an Arson Review Panel, led by John Lentini, a leading fire analyst, concluded the fire in Joann’s home was most likely an accident. They found the forensic evidence used during the original investigation was invalid and that the fire investigators who analyzed the case in 1989 simply did not have a proper understanding of the behavior of fire.

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In 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom granted JoAnn clemency and commuted her Life Without Parole sentence to make her instantly eligible for parole. She was released on January 12, 2021, after 29 years of wrongful incarceration. For more information about Joann’s case go to:

https://californiainnocenceproject.org/read-their-stories/joann-parks/