Gentle Giant Finally Free (Proving Innocence, Ep. 3)

Notre Dame Stories

Andy Royer confessed in 2003 to strangling a 94-year-old woman who lived in his apartment building in Elkhart, Indiana. But Royer, who has mental challenges that make him seem childlike despite his huge size, then asked if he could just go home. Confessions are convincing to juries. Most people are surprised to learn that they are sometimes given by the innocent. Royer was convicted and given a sentence of 55 years.

After three earlier attempts failed, the Notre Dame Exoneration Justice Clinic won his release after 16 years – the first of what law students and faculty leaders hope are a string of successful petitions. In episode three of this six-part series, we hear about Royer’s legal troubles from his mother, himself and his attorney. But our main guide is former Notre Dame law student Paula Ortiz Cardona, who worked on his case during her three years on campus.