Unseen Forensic Video Prompts Release Of Man Who Spent 27 Years On Louisiana Death Row

A former Louisiana death row inmate, Jimmie "Chris" Duncan, has been released after previously unseen video showed a forensic dentist repeatedly pressing a dental mold against the skin of a deceased toddler during a postmortem examination.

Case Background

Duncan, 57, was convicted in 1998 for the 1993 death of Haley Oliveaux, the toddler of Allison Layton Statham. Officials initially described Haley’s death as consistent with an accidental drowning. According to reporting by ProPublica and the Associated Press, Duncan — who had been babysitting the child in December 1993 — told police he put Haley in the bath, left briefly to wash dishes, and returned to find the child unresponsive.

Contested Forensic Evidence

Prosecutors originally pursued negligent-homicide charges but later upgraded the case to first-degree murder after forensic dentist Michael West and pathologist Steven Hayne reported what they described as bite marks on Haley’s body. A new NBC News report published July 26 includes previously unseen video that appears to show West pressing a dental mold of Duncan’s teeth repeatedly onto the child’s skin during a postmortem exam.

West told Oxygen.com he used a so-called "direct comparison" technique that places tooth molds from suspects directly on a body's surface. Hayne is deceased, the Associated Press reported.

Legal Repercussions

Defense attorneys had requested the videotape before Duncan’s 1998 trial, but prosecutors did not present it at trial, NBC reported via People. The footage later became central to a renewed appeal after the Innocence Project joined Duncan’s legal team in 2022.

Retired 4th Judicial District Court Judge Alvin Sharp, who overturned Duncan’s conviction in April 2025, said the recording showed West "absolutely creating marks on that baby's body," and that the footage left him "aghast."

Following the appeal, Sharp overturned the conviction in April 2025, and Duncan was released on bail in December. District Attorney Steve Tew — who represents Ouachita and Morehouse parishes — has publicly maintained Duncan’s guilt and has said he intends to seek a retrial despite the Louisiana Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling that led to the reversal, according to reporting.

Family Responses and Broader Context

Haley’s mother, Allison Layton Statham, has supported Duncan’s release and publicly criticized the handling of the forensic evidence. In an interview with NBC she said, "I found out my daughter wasn't murdered. It never happened." She added, "Let's get this straight — he was convicted because they lied. They fabricated evidence. They desecrated my daughter and videotaped it." Relatives on the father's side have also expressed support for the release.

Forensic bite-mark analysis has come under intense scrutiny in recent years and is widely criticized by forensic scientists for lacking reliable, standardized methods. Experts and innocence organizations have pointed to cases like Duncan’s to highlight how flawed forensic practices can lead to wrongful convictions.

Sources

This article synthesizes reporting from ProPublica, NBC News, the Associated Press, People, Oxygen.com and statements from the Innocence Project and local prosecutors.