"A North Carolina prosecutor is dismissing the case
against a man imprisoned for two decades before a judge threw out his
murder convictions this week. A judge vacated convictions and ordered Darryl Howard’s release
Wednesday because of DNA evidence unavailable at Howard’s 1995 trial in
the double-murder case. The judge ruled DNA evidence shows Howard did not rape a woman and
her teenage daughter. No other physical evidence connected him to the
deaths. The Durham District Attorney’s office filed dismissal paperwork Friday. Howard’s case was originally handled by former prosecutor Mike
Nifong, who was later disbarred for lying and misconduct in a case of
rape accusations against Duke University lacrosse players who were later
found innocent. Innocence advocates are undertaking a massive review of convictions from Nifong’s tenure."
http://www.torontosun.com/2016/08/31/21-year-old-double-murder-conviction-tossed-judge
See also WRAL report at the link below:
"After a three-day hearing, Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson agreed with Howard's attorneys that there was reasonable doubt that Howard committed the crimes, citing DNA evidence that pointed to other men as the killers. Hudson ordered a new trial, but Durham County District Attorney Roger Echols dismissed the charges against Howard last Friday, saying there wasn't enough evidence to convict him."
http://www.wral.com/darryl-howard-adjusting-to-married-life-technology-after-decades-in-prison/15992395/
http://www.torontosun.com/2016/08/31/21-year-old-double-murder-conviction-tossed-judge
See also WRAL report at the link below:
"After a three-day hearing, Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson agreed with Howard's attorneys that there was reasonable doubt that Howard committed the crimes, citing DNA evidence that pointed to other men as the killers. Hudson ordered a new trial, but Durham County District Attorney Roger Echols dismissed the charges against Howard last Friday, saying there wasn't enough evidence to convict him."
http://www.wral.com/darryl-howard-adjusting-to-married-life-technology-after-decades-in-prison/15992395/