"Haynesworth was released from the Greensville Correctional Facility in Jarratt at noon Monday, his 46th birthday. Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Friday that Haynesworth had been granted parole.
The Richmond man was convicted of two rapes and an abduction in 1984. The Virginia Supreme Court exonerated Haynesworth of one rape in 2009 after testing of semen implicated another man.
There was no biological evidence in the other two crimes."
WRIC; THE ASSOCIATED PRESS;
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"The court of appeals has granted only one writ of actual innocence, in 2008, though it has yet to free anyone from prison.
Among other things, Haynesworth must show, “no rational trier of fact could have found proof beyond a reasonable doubt based upon the newly discovered evidence.”
His lawyers say that if the DNA evidence was available in 1984, no reasonable juror would have found him guilty.
Haynesworth’s petition argues, “If, as the Virginia legislature plainly contemplated, there is ever to be a case for which a writ of actual innocence is granted based on non-biological evidence, this is it.”"
THE INNOCENCE PROJECT;
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"JARRATT, Va. (AP) - A Virginia inmate who has served nearly three decades in prison for at least one rape he didn't commit has been released from prison," the Associated Press story published on WRIC earlier today begins, under the heading, "Thomas Haynesworth Released From Prison."
"Thomas Haynesworth called the event "joyful," the story continues.
"Haynesworth was released from the Greensville Correctional Facility in Jarratt at noon Monday, his 46th birthday. Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Friday that Haynesworth had been granted parole.
The Richmond man was convicted of two rapes and an abduction in 1984. The Virginia Supreme Court exonerated Haynesworth of one rape in 2009 after testing of semen implicated another man.
There was no biological evidence in the other two crimes. The Innocence Project, which is representing Haynesworth, says those convictions also should be tossed out. A March 30 hearing is set before the Virginia Court of Appeals."
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The story can be found at:
http://www.wric.com/Global/story.asp?S=14290507
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PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith
For a breakdown of some of the cases, issues and controversies this Blog is currently following, please turn to:
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=120008354894645705&postID=8369513443994476774
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog; hlevy15@gmail.com;
