North Texas man exonerated after 24 years in shaken baby syndrome case

Andrew Wayne Roark, convicted in 2000 for shaking a baby, has been exonerated by the Dallas County District Attorney. Advances in medical understanding have led to the conclusion that the evidence used to convict him is no longer credible. Roark, now 48, was sentenced to 35 years in prison. The District Attorney's Conviction Integrity Unit found no evidence to support his conviction, stating he is actually innocent. This decision reflects changes in the scientific understanding of shaken baby syndrome. Roark's exoneration is the 47th in Dallas County since 2001. It follows a review of trial findings and highlights ongoing concerns about the reliability of shaken baby syndrome as a basis for conviction.