Minnesota man freed after 'erroneous and incomplete evidence' imprisoned him for nearly 25 years

A Minnesota man has been released from the Moose Lake Correctional Facility after spending nearly a quarter-century in prison for his wife's murder in a case that reviewers now say did not have evidence for a conviction.

Thomas Rhodes, 63, was released Friday after his case was examined by the Minnesota Conviction Review Unit of the state Attorney General's Office, in partnership with the Great North Innocence Project. It found that "erroneous and incomplete" evidence put Rhodes in prison.

"I look forward to hugging my sons Eric and Jason, being a good grandfather to my six wonderful grandkids, and having time to create new memories with family and friends," Rhodes said in a statement. "I am also thankful for friends on the outside and inside who have been there for me."

Rhodes was found guilty on July 29, 1998, of murdering Jane Rhodes, then 36, who drowned during a nighttime boat ride with him on Green Lake in Spicer, Minn., two years earlier. Authorities at the time argued in court that he struck her in the neck, pushed her overboard and repeatedly ran over her body with his boat.

That's not what Conviction Review investigators found.

Nine forensic pathologists consulted by the Innocence Project and an independent medical examiner hired by the review unit agreed that a single blow to the head, and subsequent damage as her body was dragged underwater and later recovered, explained Jane Rhodes' injuries. They added that blow could have happened when she fell out of the boat, or if the boat unintentionally hit her as her husband searched for her.

Thomas Rhodes argued that his wife's death was an accident, and that he made every effort to save her, searching for her first while he was in the boat and then jumping in the water.

The review investigation contradicted the testimony of then-state medical examiner Dr. Michael McGee in describing the cause of Jane Rhodes' injuries. It also found that the prosecutor's office withheld the transcript of an interview with McGee, who had said he was unsure if Jane Rhodes was struck once or multiple times after going overboard.

Prosecutors are required to disclose potentially exculpatory evidence, known as Brady evidence, said Hayley Drozdowski-Poxleitner, a spokeswoman for the Great North Innocence Project.

Some of McGee's other work has come under scrutiny, including a 2011 investigation into testimony he provided in an infant death case. Michael Hansen, the father originally convicted of killing his 3-year-old daughter in that case, was later exonerated.

A phone call to a number listed under McGee's name was not returned.

Rhodes' sons supported their father's innocence from the time of their mother's death and thanked investigators for securing his freedom.

"I am so glad for the work of the Great North Innocence Project. Without them, my dad would be in prison for many more years," Rhodes' son Eric said. "We are so thankful to have him back in our lives."

Rhodes was serving a mandatory life sentence for a first-degree murder conviction. His family was not taking media calls, Drozdowski-Poxleitner said.

A state district court vacated Rhodes' first- and second-degree murder convictions on Friday, but he will retain a second-degree manslaughter conviction for driving his boat with negligence. Drozdowski-Poxleitner said that the Attorney General's Office and Kandiyohi County, which originally prosecuted the case, agreed there was enough evidence to prove negligence because Rhodes was driving quickly at night, and because his wife was a poor swimmer who was not wearing a life jacket.

Rhodes entered an Alford plea for the manslaughter on Friday, meaning he did not admit guilt but acknowledged enough evidence existed to convict him. The recommended sentence was 48 months, well under what he has already served, Drozdowski-Poxleitner said.

The Innocence Project said Rhodes is the first person freed from prison due to an investigation by Minnesota's Conviction Review Unit, which was launched in 2020 for those who cannot prove their innocence by conventional post-conviction measures.

Rhodes attempted several times to prove his innocence in court after his conviction, including one effort that was ultimately turned down by Minnesota's Supreme Court.