Home / Crime and Justice / Doctor Admits Wrongful Conviction: Father Imprisoned for Life
Doctor Admits Wrongful Conviction: Father Imprisoned for Life
17 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Medical examiner admits he was wrong about shaken baby syndrome.
- Father Russell Maze spent decades in prison for a crime he says he didn't commit.
- New analysis suggests baby Alex Maze died from natural causes, not abuse.
A former chief medical examiner has admitted he was wrong about the cause of a baby's death nearly 25 years ago, a mistake that sent Russell Maze to prison for life. Dr. Bruce Levy's original autopsy concluded 19-month-old Alex Maze died from shaken baby syndrome, a finding that was critical in securing Maze's murder conviction in 1999.
However, after re-examining the case with new information on Alex's medical history, Dr. Levy now believes Alex died of natural causes and that Russell Maze is innocent. This shift reflects a broader reevaluation of shaken baby syndrome diagnoses, as medical experts increasingly recognize that symptoms once attributed to abuse can stem from underlying medical conditions.
Despite Dr. Levy's recantation and efforts by a conviction review unit, Russell Maze remains incarcerated. Courts have so far declined to overturn his conviction, highlighting the difficult legal battle faced by those seeking to overturn decades-old convictions based on evolving scientific understanding.
