After spending two decades in prison, California woman’s conviction for husband’s murder is overturned

Jane Dorotik spent two decades fighting for her freedom after being convicted of murdering her husband Bob in 2001. Always maintaining her innocence, Jane filed motions while in prison pushing for a new examination of the evidence. Working with Loyola Project for the Innocent, new testing of evidence was conducted, including of blood found in the couple’s bedroom, which revealed discrepancies in the original testing.

When Bob Dorotik was found bludgeoned and strangled, Jane became the prime suspect in his murder. Authorities believed she had attacked him in their home, leading to her arrest and charges of first-degree murder. Despite Jane’s claims of innocence, her trial in 2001 resulted in a guilty verdict, with her own sons testifying against her. Her defense attorney presented an alternate suspect theory, pointing to her daughter Claire as the killer.

Through the years, Jane continued to advocate for her innocence, filing motions citing inadequate evidence and ineffective assistance of counsel. Finally, in 2020, new DNA testing and a re-examination of evidence cast doubt on her conviction, leading to the state conceding to new evidence claims. Subsequently, the murder conviction was overturned, but the DA’s office decided to retry Jane, leading to a second dismissal of charges after new inconsistencies in evidence were revealed.

Despite being released from prison, Jane’s fight for complete exoneration continues. She remains determined to clear her name and rebuild her life after spending nearly two decades behind bars. While there are lingering questions about the case and its impact on her family, Jane’s focus now is on advocacy work for incarcerated women and systemic change within the criminal justice system.