Here's the full presser from the DA's office just now:
DA to Seek Release of Inmate in Questionable 1987 Conviction
(Houston, Texas) Harris County District Attorney Patricia R. Lykos
announced today that the newly formed Post Conviction Review Section,
established to investigate wrongful convictions, has flagged a case for further
review. Cases where convictions relied upon evidence tested by the HPD Crime
Lab (prior to 2006) have been systematically reviewed to determine the accuracy
and validity of the results. The District Attorney's Office, along with defense
attorney Bob Wicoff, agreed to a motion for retesting of certain biological
evidence from an aggravated robbery and aggravated sexual assault case from
1987. After receiving the results from the testing, within 48 hours Assistant
District Attorney Alicia O'Neill had reviewed the trial record and found
discrepancies between the new tests and evidence presented at trial.
Gary Richard, 53, was convicted of aggravated robbery and received a life
sentence from a jury. Richard has spent the past 22 years in prison for the crime
but has always maintained his innocence.
Richard will be transferred back to Harris County for a court appearance on April
30. The State will agree to a bond for Richard.
Lykos states, "I promised the citizens of Harris County that I would provide
transparency in local government. People can be assured that the Office will
rectify identified problems as expeditiously as possible." (end)
http://hcdao.newsrouter.com/
[ad#ad1forposts]
Comments

RSS feed
StumbleUpon
Twitter
Newsvine
Facebook
Digg
De.licio.us
YouTube