The Norfolk Four

The Norfolk Four are four men, Derek Tice, Danial Williams, Joseph J. Dick Jr. and Eric C. Wilson, who were found guilty for brutal the rape and murder of Michelle Moore-Bosko in Norfolk, Virginia. Their convictions were the basis of controversy, as their convictions were mainly based on confessions made by the men, which they maintain were compelled with fears of getting the death penalty if they did not plead guilty. Organizations such as the Innocence Project objected the convictions as a "miscarriage of justice" while Moore-Bosko’s parents carry on to consider that all those convicted were participants in the crime.

Three of the four men, Tice, Williams, and Dick, were sentenced to one or more life sentences in prison without the option of parole due to them either begging guilty to or getting convicted of the murder, while Wilson was condemned of rape and sentenced to eight and a half years in prison. Three other men, Geoffrey A. Farris, John E. Danser and Richard D. Pauley, Jr., were also firstly accused with the crime, but their charges were later dropped.

A fifth man, Omar Ballard, was also convicted in the crime, and was charged to 100 years in prison, 59 of which were suspended. He is the only man whose DNA matches that found at the scene, and his affirmation states that he carried out the crime by himself, with none of the other men involved. Forensic evidence is dependable with his story that there were no other members.