‘I made a mistake’: Medical examiner who helped convict father in baby’s death comes forward 25 years later

Dr. Bruce Levy, who used to be Tennessee’s top medical examiner, has admitted he made a serious mistake 25 years ago. He now says his testimony was wrong when it helped send Russell Maze to prison for killing his baby son. Levy originally said that 19-month-old Alex Maze died because someone violently shook him. This conclusion was key in giving the father a life sentence. After looking at new information, Levy now believes Maze is innocent.

According to NBC News, Levy performed the autopsy on Alex Maze back then. “I have to remember that I’m not perfect and I can make mistakes,” Levy recently said. “And the best that I can do, is when I come to realize that, is to admit that I have made a mistake and try to do what I can to rectify that.”

Maze has always said he never hurt his son. He was alone at home with Alex in May 1999 when the baby suddenly stopped breathing. A hospital doctor who specialized in child abuse said Alex was a victim of shaken baby syndrome. Levy agreed with this diagnosis. That led to Maze being convicted of first-degree murder in 2004.

Medical science has changed how doctors view shaken baby cases

What doctors know about this condition, also called abusive head trauma, has changed a lot since the conviction. For years, three specific symptoms were seen as clear proof that a young child was shaken on purpose.

These included brain swelling, bleeding in the brain, and bleeding behind the eyes. But experts now recognize that natural medical problems can cause these same symptoms. This change in medical understanding is pushing many people to take another look at shaken baby convictions across the country.

Levy decided to review the case again in summer 2024. This happened as part of a Nashville program looking into possible wrongful convictions. When he examined the records again, he learned important facts about Alex’s medical history that he never knew before. Alex was born too early in March 1998, weighing only 3 pounds and 12 ounces. He spent time in the intensive care unit with problems like anemia and a fast heart rate.

Levy said this medical history should have been available when he did the first autopsy. He now believes Alex died from natural causes, not abuse. In September 2024, Levy wrote an official statement taking back his original finding. He changed Alex’s cause of death to “undetermined” and the manner of death to “natural.” When professionals admit their errors lead to costly consequences, it highlights how mistakes can devastate lives.

Even though the original medical examiner and the DA’s office both agree that Maze is innocent, he is still in prison. Both the trial court and Tennessee’s Court of Criminal Appeals have refused to overturn his conviction. The appeals court dismissed Levy’s changed opinion, saying it was just a witness changing their story rather than providing new scientific proof of innocence.

Brian Holmgren, the prosecutor who brought Maze to trial, still believes the guilty verdict was correct. He thinks he and the jury were right and that anyone who disagrees doesn’t understand the case. Maze’s wife, Kaye, has never stopped fighting for her husband. She was also charged and accepted a special plea deal to avoid prison.

She pleaded guilty to reckless aggravated assault while saying she was innocent. The Mazes were in their 30s when this started, and now they are in their 60s. Like many families who face unexpected situations that turn shocking, their lives were forever changed by circumstances beyond their control.