Push continues to clear man of murder charge
By Steve Rogers May. 5, 2016
- Photos
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WTVA) --More experts testified Thursday about
the reliability -- or lack thereof -- of bite mark evidence as a
62-year-old death-row inmate continues to try to earn his freedom.
And the judge charged with making a decision on the fate of Eddie Lee Howard also heard from Jennifer Smith, a Texas DNA expert, who said DNA taken from a bloody knife thought to be the murder weapon and the victim's nightgown didn't match Howard.
A half-dozen attorneys from the Oxford-based Innocence Project want 16th District Circuit Judge Lee Howard to clear Howard of the Feb. 2, 1992 murder of 84-year-old Georgia Kemp in her Columbus home. At worst they hope the judge will order a new trial.
He's twice been convicted of her murder and sentenced to death.
Defense attorneys claim the expert bite-mark testimony of Dr. Michael West of Hattiesburg that was central to the case has since been recanted and disproved. Witnesses Wednesday and today addressed the widespread doubts about the use of such evidence, which once was in vogue in the 1990s and early 2000s.
They also say DNA testing ordered three years ago by the courts doesn’t match fluids found at the scene or on the murder weapon.
West has been in the courtroom and is expected to testify.
The hearing could last through Friday. If it results in a new trial being ordered, District Attorney Scott Colom may not retry the case because of a lack of evidence and witnesses.
And the judge charged with making a decision on the fate of Eddie Lee Howard also heard from Jennifer Smith, a Texas DNA expert, who said DNA taken from a bloody knife thought to be the murder weapon and the victim's nightgown didn't match Howard.
A half-dozen attorneys from the Oxford-based Innocence Project want 16th District Circuit Judge Lee Howard to clear Howard of the Feb. 2, 1992 murder of 84-year-old Georgia Kemp in her Columbus home. At worst they hope the judge will order a new trial.
He's twice been convicted of her murder and sentenced to death.
Defense attorneys claim the expert bite-mark testimony of Dr. Michael West of Hattiesburg that was central to the case has since been recanted and disproved. Witnesses Wednesday and today addressed the widespread doubts about the use of such evidence, which once was in vogue in the 1990s and early 2000s.
They also say DNA testing ordered three years ago by the courts doesn’t match fluids found at the scene or on the murder weapon.
West has been in the courtroom and is expected to testify.
The hearing could last through Friday. If it results in a new trial being ordered, District Attorney Scott Colom may not retry the case because of a lack of evidence and witnesses.
Push continues to clear man of murder charge
By Steve Rogers May. 5, 2016
- Photos
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WTVA) --More experts testified Thursday about
the reliability -- or lack thereof -- of bite mark evidence as a
62-year-old death-row inmate continues to try to earn his freedom.
And the judge charged with making a decision on the fate of Eddie Lee Howard also heard from Jennifer Smith, a Texas DNA expert, who said DNA taken from a bloody knife thought to be the murder weapon and the victim's nightgown didn't match Howard.
A half-dozen attorneys from the Oxford-based Innocence Project want 16th District Circuit Judge Lee Howard to clear Howard of the Feb. 2, 1992 murder of 84-year-old Georgia Kemp in her Columbus home. At worst they hope the judge will order a new trial.
He's twice been convicted of her murder and sentenced to death.
Defense attorneys claim the expert bite-mark testimony of Dr. Michael West of Hattiesburg that was central to the case has since been recanted and disproved. Witnesses Wednesday and today addressed the widespread doubts about the use of such evidence, which once was in vogue in the 1990s and early 2000s.
They also say DNA testing ordered three years ago by the courts doesn’t match fluids found at the scene or on the murder weapon.
West has been in the courtroom and is expected to testify.
The hearing could last through Friday. If it results in a new trial being ordered, District Attorney Scott Colom may not retry the case because of a lack of evidence and witnesses.
And the judge charged with making a decision on the fate of Eddie Lee Howard also heard from Jennifer Smith, a Texas DNA expert, who said DNA taken from a bloody knife thought to be the murder weapon and the victim's nightgown didn't match Howard.
A half-dozen attorneys from the Oxford-based Innocence Project want 16th District Circuit Judge Lee Howard to clear Howard of the Feb. 2, 1992 murder of 84-year-old Georgia Kemp in her Columbus home. At worst they hope the judge will order a new trial.
He's twice been convicted of her murder and sentenced to death.
Defense attorneys claim the expert bite-mark testimony of Dr. Michael West of Hattiesburg that was central to the case has since been recanted and disproved. Witnesses Wednesday and today addressed the widespread doubts about the use of such evidence, which once was in vogue in the 1990s and early 2000s.
They also say DNA testing ordered three years ago by the courts doesn’t match fluids found at the scene or on the murder weapon.
West has been in the courtroom and is expected to testify.
The hearing could last through Friday. If it results in a new trial being ordered, District Attorney Scott Colom may not retry the case because of a lack of evidence and witnesses.
Push continues to clear man of murder charge
By Steve Rogers May. 5, 2016
- Photos
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WTVA) --More experts testified Thursday about
the reliability -- or lack thereof -- of bite mark evidence as a
62-year-old death-row inmate continues to try to earn his freedom.
And the judge charged with making a decision on the fate of Eddie Lee Howard also heard from Jennifer Smith, a Texas DNA expert, who said DNA taken from a bloody knife thought to be the murder weapon and the victim's nightgown didn't match Howard.
A half-dozen attorneys from the Oxford-based Innocence Project want 16th District Circuit Judge Lee Howard to clear Howard of the Feb. 2, 1992 murder of 84-year-old Georgia Kemp in her Columbus home. At worst they hope the judge will order a new trial.
He's twice been convicted of her murder and sentenced to death.
Defense attorneys claim the expert bite-mark testimony of Dr. Michael West of Hattiesburg that was central to the case has since been recanted and disproved. Witnesses Wednesday and today addressed the widespread doubts about the use of such evidence, which once was in vogue in the 1990s and early 2000s.
They also say DNA testing ordered three years ago by the courts doesn’t match fluids found at the scene or on the murder weapon.
West has been in the courtroom and is expected to testify.
The hearing could last through Friday. If it results in a new trial being ordered, District Attorney Scott Colom may not retry the case because of a lack of evidence and witnesses.
And the judge charged with making a decision on the fate of Eddie Lee Howard also heard from Jennifer Smith, a Texas DNA expert, who said DNA taken from a bloody knife thought to be the murder weapon and the victim's nightgown didn't match Howard.
A half-dozen attorneys from the Oxford-based Innocence Project want 16th District Circuit Judge Lee Howard to clear Howard of the Feb. 2, 1992 murder of 84-year-old Georgia Kemp in her Columbus home. At worst they hope the judge will order a new trial.
He's twice been convicted of her murder and sentenced to death.
Defense attorneys claim the expert bite-mark testimony of Dr. Michael West of Hattiesburg that was central to the case has since been recanted and disproved. Witnesses Wednesday and today addressed the widespread doubts about the use of such evidence, which once was in vogue in the 1990s and early 2000s.
They also say DNA testing ordered three years ago by the courts doesn’t match fluids found at the scene or on the murder weapon.
West has been in the courtroom and is expected to testify.
The hearing could last through Friday. If it results in a new trial being ordered, District Attorney Scott Colom may not retry the case because of a lack of evidence and witnesses.
"More experts
testified Thursday about the reliability -- or lack thereof -- of bite mark
evidence as a 62-year-old death-row inmate continues to try to earn his
freedom. And the judge charged with making a
decision on the fate of Eddie Lee Howard also heard from Jennifer Smith, a
Texas DNA expert, who said DNA taken from a bloody knife thought to be the murder
weapon and the victim's nightgown didn't match Howard. A half-dozen attorneys from the
Oxford-based Innocence Project want 16th District Circuit Judge Lee Howard to
clear Howard of the Feb. 2, 1992 murder of 84-year-old Georgia Kemp in her
Columbus home. At worst they hope the judge will order a new trial. He's twice been convicted of her murder
and sentenced to death. Defense attorneys claim the expert
bite-mark testimony of Dr. Michael West of Hattiesburg that was central to the
case has since been recanted and disproved. Witnesses Wednesday and today
addressed the widespread doubts about the use of such evidence, which once was
in vogue in the 1990s and early 2000s. They also say DNA testing ordered three
years ago by the courts doesn’t match fluids found at the scene or on the
murder weapon."
http://www.wtva.com/news/Push_continues_to_clear_man_of_murder_charge.html
