DNA TESTS EXONERATE PRISONER:
Associated Press

St. Louis- Preliminary DNA tests on evidence once believed destroyed have exonerated a man imprisoned since 1984 for raping a college student, a prosecutor said.
Prosecutor Jennifer Joyce said she plans to file court papers to free Larry Johnson, 47, serving a life sentence plus 30 years for rape, sodomy, kidnapping and robbery.
"My heart just goes out to Mr. Johnson," said Joyce, who had no role in his conviction. "Mr Johnson has been horribly wronged. Absolutely, there is no way I can ever make this up to him."
Joyce said Friday that the preliminary DNA results have been sent back to tthe same police crime lab for confirmation through "I'm confident the results are not going to change."
Joyce plans ot aks St. Louis police to tropen the case involvign the rape of a St. Louis Uniersity student.
Johnson was in prison and not available for comment. His St. Louis attorney did not immediately return telephone messages.
Joyce said Johnson was feeling "a variety of emotions."
The victim had identified Johnson as her attacker and there was other circumstantial evidence that helped convict him, Joyce said.
A Missouri law lets those convicted of rape seek new DNA test if the technology wasn't available at the time of their trials.

Ummmmmm....one out of how many more left?.....

This is PRECISELY why I am so anti-death penalty!

As long as one mistake can be made, how many others...

At least if the guy is still alive, some measure of jsutice can be offered back. But a $10 million dollar settlement would also be nice!

Don't you think that EVERY SINGLE RAPE KIT should be "DNA'ed"? It sure would save a lot of time and expense, eh?

Menolly

Any DNA available should be tested . Rape kits should be standard procedure in an investigation. Without it, should be grounds for dismissal. 38 Special

So if DNA was available at the time of the trial & for what ever reason (cost?), it wasn't done, your SOL? That sucks. I agree Menolly, one more reason for getting rid of the death penalty.
So at least the DA is showing good character in her response. I have seen cases like this where the DA fought DNA testing, the results, everything tooth & nail every step of the way. There was one case that even when given proof that the man was innocent, the DA would not petition the court for the prisoners release, saying it was up to the prisoner to do what he wanted with the information.

It's wonderful that he was released, but it's wrong for him to have had that much time behind bars. Thankfully DNA is helpful in all these cases.

i've said it before, i'll say it again....some people are on death row despite the fact that NO physical evidence was provided by the prosecution! when dna is available, it should be utilized, however, some of these poor souls sit on death rows across this nation and dna testing is not an option. other things need to be impressed by anti-death penalty groups as well such as the unreliability of witnesses, prosecutorial misconduct, crappy police work, etc. i thank god when someone is freed like this, but it makes me worry so for the folks that don't have any dna to test. barry scheck's bunch won't even look at a case without dna evidence. there's not always a "smoking gene" to work with....

I hope he gets a healthy meonetary settlement-not that it will make up for this gross injutsice-but he should be allowed to live in comfort the rest of his life at the expense of the DOC

Actually Barry Schech's bunch WILL consider non-DNA cases. They're just so much harder to win!

GET THAT BOOK, April!
I promised I'd send you a copy. Would you like me to?

Menolly

menolly ~ i went to the website and it states that they won't accept any cases that don't have dna evidence! do you have a back door into the place? :D i'd love the book...i'll PM you my purrsonal information. thanks, honey!

April;

I'm only going on what they claim in the book, and they state uncategorically that they DO consider non-DNA cases.

They have whole chapters on cases that were overturned due to false confessions, witness ID errors, and such.

Plus they are working on getting every law school and journalism school to commit EVERY STUDENT to spending some time on such cases, before they can obtain their diplomas.

Thus organizations are opening up, left right and centre.

That's why I was trying to compile a list of such organizations with Ken.

I PROMISE I'll send the book!

Menolly

April;

I've gone to 4 bookstores here in town, and they're all SOLD OUT! (Is that a good sign, or a bad sign????)

But I've ordered your very own copy at the last bookstore I was at, as a birthday present from me to you. They think it will take about a week or 10 days to come in.

I will let you know when I mail it to you!

Love,
menolly