Why was Cornealious Michael "Mike" Anderson III in the news in 2013-14?

Cornealious Michael "Mike" Anderson III is an American convict whose case became nationally known when it was discovered that, due to a clerical error, he was never imprisoned.

Anderson was convicted of armed robbery in 2000 and sentenced to 13 years in the Missouri state prison system. Shortly after his conviction he was released on bail pending the outcome of an appeal of his conviction. In May 2002, his appeal was rejected but, due to a clerical error, his bond was not revoked when a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The Missouri Department of Corrections thought he was already in prison. The error was only discovered when he was scheduled to be released from prison in 2013.

For more than a decade, Anderson was supposed to have been in a Missouri prison cell. Instead, through some kind of massive procedural screw-up, he was out walking among us. Finding him would have been a trivially easy task for police: He was possibly the worst fugitive of all time. He didn't change his name. He didn't leave town. In fact, his address is just two blocks away from the last one the court system had for him. He registered his contracting business with the secretary of state to that address.

On July 25, 2013 he was arrested and required to serve his 13-year sentence.

A Mississippi County judge freed Cornealious Michael Anderson III on May 5, 2014. The judge counted the thirteen years Anderson was improperly free as "time served" and released him immediately.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

Test your knowledge

What are your thoughts on this subject?

24 Comments

Charlene Engle

If he did not commit any crimes while he was free, it is obvious he had turned his life around. The purpose of prison is to punish so they will turn their life around. This certainly was an interesting outcome.

dvdeaton

Talk about a complete screw up!!!!! A clerical error???? What the !@#$??? Rather than hire a relative, hire someone who knows how to do the job!!!!

✨KRISTA✨

Armando Pastor , He still had a debt to repay to society, he robbed with a weapon. He could have surrendered to the authorities at anytime during the "thirteen years", but he didn't, that tells me all I need to know about this man's character. Could you imagine the man's anxiety level 😳 every time he saw a cop!?!👮

Patty K

Lupe Garza, there is a Mississippi County in the state of Missouri

Armando Pastor

Charlene Engle, I absolutely agree with you. That's the real purposed of jail "social rehabilitation", He certainly did turn his life around. But I respectfully disagree with the author's sentence "He possibly was the worst fugitive of all time". I rather think that he was the smarter and most honest fugitive of all time. He didn't hide, he didn't change his name, he just was waiting for the police to come and execute the warrant. In the meantime, though, he overturned his life. I think the judge made the right judgement by releasing him immediately. In a country like communist Cuba he would have been sent to jail to serve the 13 years. I know, I am Cuban.