In July, we explored the case of Russell Maze, who has been in prison for the past 25 years for the death of his son. Our article, co-published with The New York Times Magazine, examined new scientific evidence that suggested Russell’s son, Alex, died from an undiagnosed, underlying health condition, rather than abuse. That evidence first came to light when the Nashville, Tennessee, district attorney’s office, through its conviction-review unit, began reinvestigating the case in 2023.
Now, former Nashville medical examiner Bruce Levy has recanted his testimony that Alex died of shaken baby syndrome, and that the death was a homicide. In an affidavit filed Monday, Levy states that after reviewing Alex and his mother’s medical records and new expert testimony, he would now classify the manner of death as “natural.”
Because Levy’s trial testimony directly contributed to Russell’s conviction, the doctor’s recantation will be hard for the courts to ignore. Whether it’s enough to set aside Russell’s conviction remains to be seen. But the DA’s office and the original medical examiner in the case now both agree that Russell was not only wrongly convicted, but that the crime for which he was convicted never actually occurred.
