Roberto Wynn's 2008 conviction challenged as witness says she was pressured to identify shooter

Clifshell Stevenson, 30, told Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday that her 2008 testimony identifying Roberto Wynn as the shooter in a homicide case was not truthful. Stevenson stated that she did not see Wynn fire a gun. Instead, she said she observed him running for cover.

Stevenson testified that she has felt guilty about her initial statements for years. She claimed that Cleveland police and a family member pressured her to name Wynn when she was 13 years old. The witness had previously signed a letter in 2022 recanting her testimony. In that letter, she wrote that she blamed Wynn for a shooting he did not commit and was sure he did not have a gun.

Wynn was convicted of the fatal shooting of Christopher Basie on Parmelee Avenue. Basie died in a drive-by shooting in 2008. Cuyahoga County prosecutors argued that Stevenson is not a credible witness. They noted that three other witnesses provided similar stories identifying Wynn as the shooter.

The Ohio Innocence Project filed a motion in 2024 requesting a hearing to present evidence for a new trial. The motion sat on Judge Jeffrey Saffold's docket for over two years. In July, a News 5 investigation aired that highlighted Wynn had been waiting for a ruling on his motion to seek a new trial for more than two years.

Judge Saffold granted Wynn's attorney permission to file a motion for a new trial following an attorney conference in July. The conference occurred the same day the investigative report aired. Judge Saffold said he will review all available evidence and rule on whether Wynn should be granted a new trial.

Wynn spoke by phone with News 5 Investigator Sarah Buduson from prison. He said he was anxious, excited, and nervous about the hearing. He stated that he wants his freedom back and that his life is in the balance. His father, Ronnie, said the family has been locked up emotionally as well. His mother, Carla Butler, said she views the recantation as an answer to her prayers.

Michael Donnelly, a former Cuyahoga County Common Pleas judge and current Ohio Supreme Court justice, said delays in such cases are common due to systemic issues. He noted that safeguards like the right to a speedy trial do not apply to post-conviction proceedings. Donnelly said cases with merit can get lost in the mix when attorneys hesitate to complain about delays for fear of angering the judge.

News 5 Investigators found 28 Cuyahoga County cases since 2014 where motions for a new trial remained open for longer than 120 days. This exceeds the standard set by the Ohio Supreme Court. A proposed state law, H.B. 177, would require judges to hold a hearing when credible new evidence emerges. The bill was introduced in March 2025 and assigned to the Ohio House Judiciary Committee, but it has not yet received a hearing.