Charmaine Willis supported her husband, Karl Willis, during his imprisonment for the 1998 murder of 13-year-old Maurice Purifie in Ohio. Karl Willis and co-defendant Wayne Braddy, Jr. maintained their innocence throughout their 23 years in prison. They were released in 2023 after the Ohio Innocence Project (OIP) at UC Law helped negotiate an Alford plea deal. This agreement allowed them to plead guilty to lesser charges while maintaining their innocence.
Charmaine Willis was with Karl before his imprisonment and married him after his release. She said, ‘If you love somebody, you stand beside him no matter what they’re going through.’ Karl Willis described Charmaine as his best friend and partner…