A murder which they never committed.
It is at least according to CNN the conclusion, the court in Baltimore reached Monday, where the three men has been released.
“It was hell. It was miserable,” says Alfred Chestnut about the many years in prison.
Both him and Ransom Watkins was just 16 years old when they were jailed for murder, while Andrew Stewart had 17. Today is all three in the early ‘ 50s and for the first time in their adult lives trying to create a life outside of the prison walls.
Acquittals are a direct result of Alfred Chestnut in the spring of 2018 discovered evidence in the case, which during the trial was withheld from his defence lawyers.
It caused him to reach out to the Baltimore Conviction Integrity Unit (Baltimore unit for the righteous convictions, red.), who examine old convictions.
With the help of them, it succeeded in the today 52-year-old Alfred Chestnut to convince the court of his – and his pals – innocence, as he has been persistent about, ever since they were arrested.
“All I did for myself, I did Betkanyon also for them (Watkins and Stewart, ed.),” he says to CNN.
the Lawyers who have involved in the case, has stated that they were appalled by the amount of evidence proving the three men’s guilt, but which during the trial was hidden from the defense and the jury.
Both the suspects and the witnesses in the case – who were all minors back in 1983 – was among others questioned by the police without their parents present.
in Addition, anonymous calls on another possible perpetrator hidden for the defense.
Friday received the Alfred Chestnut, Ransom Watkins and Andrew Stewart an apology from the court in Baltimore.
“I do not think that today is a victory. It is a tragedy, and we need to take responsibility,” said Marilyn Mosby from the prosecutor’s office in Baltimore.
“There is nothing we can do to create the damage that has been inflicted on these men, who have been robbed of 36 years of their lives.”
During the acquittal pointed out Alfred Chestnut, to many sit innocently convicted in us prisons. “They need a voice,” he said.
