Missouri man who spent more than 30 years in prison before murder conviction was overturned is freed
A Missouri man who has spent more than 30 years in prison was released Tuesday after a judge overturned his murder conviction.
A Missouri man who has spent more than 30 years in prison was released Tuesday after a judge overturned his murder conviction.
Christopher Dunn has long maintained that he was not involved in the killing of 15-year-old Ricco Rogers, who was fatally shot on May 18, 1990, while he was sitting on a porch at a home.
In July, St. Louis City Judge Jason Sengheiser ruled in favor of vacating his conviction, stating that Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore "has made a clear and convincing showing of ‘actual innocence’ that undermines the basis for Dunn’s convictions because in light of new evidence, no juror, acting reasonably, would have voted to find Dunn guilty of these crimes beyond a reasonable doubt."
But on July 30, the state Supreme Court ruled Dunn must be held in prison until a re-trial, if prosecutors choose to go down that path. In its decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the State Attorney General's Office, which sought to keep Dunn behind bars.
“Because the circuit court lacks authority to unconditionally release Dunn while criminal charges remain pending, this Court issues a permanent writ prohibiting the circuit court from ordering his release without allowing the state of Missouri an opportunity to indicate its intent, if any, to retry Dunn,” according to the ruling.
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