Tavares Hutchinson walked out of the Broward County Jail in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on November 14, 2025 after spending over 26 years in prison. On January 19, 2000, Hutchinson was convicted of an armed robbery after the victim identified him in a one-person show-up and claimed a gold necklace found in a car he was riding in was his. A jury found Hutchinson guilty, and he was sentenced to life in prison. He always said he did not commit the crime.

In 2024, Hutchinson asked the state's conviction review unit to examine his case. He worked with the Innocence Project of Florida, which helped uncover new evidence that challenged his conviction. Their legal director and attorney Brandon Scheck represented Hutchinson in the case.

The new findings included the victim's sworn statement that he misidentified Hutchinson and other significant evidentiary concerns that raised serious doubt about the reliability of the original conviction.

Tavares Hutchinson waiting in a Broward County Courtroom for Judge Bernard I. Bober to approve his motion for post conviction relief. (Photo: Courtesy of the Innocence Project of Florida)

The victim later recanted his identification in sworn statements. The necklace in the car did not match the necklace the victim described as stolen. Experts also found serious problems with the show-up identification, and Hutchinson did not match several parts of the victim's original description.

Based on the new findings, the State of Florida agreed to resentence Hutchinson to time served. Broward County Circuit Judge Bernard I. Bober approved the resentencing, and Hutchinson was released. His attorney Scheck worked tirelessly to help Hutchinson gain his freedom.

Innocence Project of Florida attorney Brandon Scheck (left) and Tavares Hutchinson (right) after his release from Broward County Jail in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo: Brandon Scheck / Innocence Project of Florida)
"He's one of the most positive people I’ve ever met, despite being sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. His positivity, resilience, and winning attitude truly inspire me and will make him a great asset to our society," Scheck said in a post on LinkedIn.

Hutchinson is the 37th person freed with the help of the Innocence Project of Florida. The nonprofit says the people it has freed have "spent more than 864 years in prison for crimes they did not commit."

Now, Hutchinson begins the long process of rebuilding his life. And although he was released, the robbery conviction remains on his record. The state described his release as a sentence modification and not a full exoneration.