A Minnesota man who went to prison as a teenager has been released almost two decades later after his wrongful murder conviction was vacated, according to authorities.
Marvin Haynes, 36, was freed on Monday after a judge set signed an order setting aside his conviction, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said in astatement, which adds that prosecutors “agreed that Haynes had proven his Constitutional rights were violated during his trial in 2005.”
Haynes has maintained his innocence in the deadly 2004 robbery that took place in a flower shop and killed 55-year-old Randy Sherer, according toThe Associated Press.
In May of that year, a man walked into the store and brandished a revolver at Sherer’s sister Cynthia McDermid, who was working there, and ordered her to hand over money and security footage, the outlet reported.
Sherer came out from the back and said they had no money on them, and the intruder fired two shots as McDermid escaped, according to the outlet. She later picked a man from a lineup that did not include Haynes as the assailant. The man had an alibi, prompting police to look elsewhere.
GoFundMe
Police followed up on a tip that pointed towards Haynes, and then showed McDermid a photo of Haynes from two years prior — when he had shorter hair that resembled the shooter’s, according to the outlet. McDermid claimed Haynes was the shooter, even though he was shorter than the alleged robber.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said that Haynes’ conviction was based “almost exclusively” on eyewitness accounts, and the trial lacked any forensic evidence.
Marvin Haynes.Mark Vancleave/AP Photo
Mark Vancleave/AP Photo
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At trial, prosecutors also didn’t present any videos connecting him to the crime and authorities never found a murder weapon, Moriarty said in the statement.
“That should have made any prosecutor hesitant to bring charges because eyewitness identifications are often unreliable and one of the leading causes of wrongful convictions,” she said.
“We inflicted harm on Mr. Haynes and his family, and also on Harry Sherer, the victim, his family, and the community,” she said in the statement, and apologized for all the life experiences Haynes missed during his time in prison.
Haynes spoke outside the prison after being released, thanking the current personnel in the district attorney’s office, his lawyers and his family.
“It took 19 years but I’m here. I just wanna move forward and get my life back. That’s it,” he said, according toKARE 11.
He gave special recognition to his sister. “My sister lost so much fighting for my innocence. Words cannot describe what she means to me and my family,” he said, according to the outlet.
Marvin Haynes freed.GoFundMe
Haynes’ attorney, Andrew Markquart, said on aGoFundMepage set up to support Haynes after his exoneration, “We are delighted to see Marvin finally regain his freedom and for the truth of his innocence to win out."
McDermid has since passed away, but Sherer’s family still maintains she identified the correct suspect,KARE 11reported.
source: people.com
