AFTER 13 YEARS IN PRISON FOR A CRIME HE DIDN’T COMMIT… KENNETH BULLOCK IS FINALLY FREE

DETROIT, MI — After spending 13 agonizing years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit, Kenneth Bullock, a Detroit native, is finally free. His release on May 28, 2025, marks the end of a long and painful journey — one marred by wrongful conviction, flawed eyewitness testimony, and a justice system that failed him.

A Miscarriage of Justice

The saga began in 2011, when a carjacking involving a 2012 Dodge Charger led police on a search for suspects. Bullock, then in his early 20s, was arrested and charged after authorities traced the vehicle to his mother’s possession. Despite weak evidence and inconsistencies in the case, Bullock was convicted and sentenced harshly: up to 70 years for the carjacking, and an additional 2 years for firearm possession.

Key to his conviction was a single eyewitness — a woman who identified Bullock in a police lineup. Her initial description, however, did not match Bullock’s appearance. Still, the lineup was presented in a way that led her to select him, and that choice sealed his fate.

At trial, the defense argued that Bullock had no connection to the original carjacking and that the car had changed hands multiple times before reaching his family. But in the absence of a confession from the true perpetrator or exonerating forensic evidence, the jury sided with the prosecution.

A Break in the Case

Years passed with Bullock maintaining his innocence. His legal team and family never gave up. Then came a breakthrough: a convicted gang member, Jamare Rucker, confessed to the carjacking in a recorded statement while serving time for unrelated crimes.

Rucker not only confessed but also provided names and details of others involved — none of whom included Bullock. Investigators re-examined the timeline, witness accounts, and vehicle history. It became clear that Bullock had been swept up in a case built on circumstantial evidence and a mistaken identification.

New evidence revealed the stolen Dodge Charger had indeed been passed through multiple individuals before Bullock’s mother ended up with the car. There was no proof linking Bullock to the initial crime — no fingerprints, no surveillance footage, and no communications with the actual perpetrators.

Vindication and Freedom

With the confession and supporting evidence in hand, Bullock’s legal team filed a motion to vacate the conviction. On May 28, 2025, the motion was granted. The judge, in a packed courtroom, declared Bullock’s conviction overturned. Cheers, tears, and applause erupted as Bullock stepped outside a free man for the first time in over a decade.

“I never gave up hope,” Bullock said, standing beside his mother and attorneys. “I knew the truth would come out. Thirteen years… but I’m finally home.”

The Cost of a Broken System

Bullock’s case has now become a rallying cry for criminal justice reform advocates across Michigan and beyond. His story is yet another painful reminder of how easily the system can convict the wrong person — especially when cases rely on flawed eyewitness testimony or pressure to secure convictions.

According to the Innocence Project, eyewitness misidentification is the leading cause of wrongful convictions in the U.S., playing a role in nearly 70% of the more than 375 wrongful convictions overturned through DNA evidence.

Advocates are calling for reforms including:

• Improved lineup protocols to reduce suggestive identification
• Stronger oversight of police investigations
• Mandatory recording of interrogations
• Compensation for the wrongfully convicted

What Comes Next for Kenneth Bullock?

Bullock’s attorneys say they will seek compensation from the state of Michigan, which allows up to $50,000 per year of wrongful imprisonment — potentially totaling over $650,000 for Bullock. But no amount of money can give him back the years he lost.

Now 35, Bullock is focused on rebuilding his life. He plans to start a nonprofit to help other wrongfully convicted individuals and raise awareness about the flaws in the justice system. “I don’t want anyone else to go through what I did,” he said. “We need to fix this system.”

He also wants time to heal — and to simply live.

“I missed birthdays, holidays, the chance to be there for my mom, my family. I missed life,” he said. “Now it’s time to live it again.”

Kenneth Bullock’s release is a victory, but also a warning: justice delayed is justice denied. His story, though ending in freedom, is a sobering testament to the urgent need for systemic change — so that no one else has to spend 13 years paying for someone else’s crime.