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INNOCENCE: NORTH CAROLINA DEATH ROW INMATE WALKS FREE-129TH EXONERATION

By Death Penalty Information Center

The state of North Carolina dropped all charges against Levon Jones, and he was freed today (May 2) after spending 13 years on death row. U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Boyle overturned Jones's conviction two years ago, but he was held in prison awaiting a possible retrial until prosecutors announced that they were dismissing all charges. Judge Boyle criticized Jones's defense attorneys for "constitutionally deficient" performance, noting their failure to research the history and credibility of Lovely Lorden, the prosecution's star witness. The judge noted, "Given the weakness of the prosecution's case and its heavy reliance on the testimony of Lovely Lorden, there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different...continue to full post

Full post as published by Death Penalty Information Center on May 02, 2008 (boomark / email).