Judge clears dead Texas man of rape conviction (Died in prison)

[Horse with no Name]

There are no words. This is the reason I am against the death penalty.:cry:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090207/ap_on_re_us/dna_exoneration_dead_inmate
>>>>snip
AUSTIN, Texas – A man who died in prison while serving time for a rape he didn't commit was cleared Friday by a judge who called the state's first posthumous DNA exoneration "the saddest case" he'd ever seen.

State District Judge Charles Baird ordered Timothy Cole's record expunged.

>>>snip
Cole and his relatives for years claimed he was innocent, but no one believed them until evidence from the original rape kit was tested for DNA. Cole had refused to plead guilty before trial in exchange for probation, and while in prison, he refused to admit to the crime when it could have earned him release on parole.

>>>snip
She said Lubbock officials had portrayed Cole as a violent criminal and a thug while investigating her case. The Lubbock County district attorney's office did not participate in the hearing.

[ZombieHorde]

1. Fucked up. K&R

[malaise]

2. That's an understatement

Damn!

[Hydra]

3. I'm glad our justice system is fair and unbiased

And never scapegoats!

:sarcasm:

[Festivito]

4. Wow, actual justice in Texas, and in spite of DA cowards. Wow.

How much y'all want to bet those DA's are, you know, ResmugliCONs...

Although, it would not be a safe bet seeing as they'd probably lie about that too...

[Catherine Vincent]

5. How sad.

That poor guy. :-(

[Garbo 2004]

6. The actual perp confessed after statutes of limitations ran out. In '95 started sending confession

to court, DA etc. No response. Finally wrote letter that reached the family who then got the Innocence Project involved. I heard about this on NPR.

The victim told the cops that her attacker was a chain smoker. Cole was asthmatic and not a smoker. No criminal record. Cole was with others at the time of the crime and thus had witnesses and alibi.

NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100249923

More articles:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/06/texas.exoneration/?iref=mpstoryview
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-02-03-exoneration_N.htm