N.C. man exonerated, freed after 17 years in prison

N.C. man exonerated, freed after 17 years in prison

news.bos tonherald.com

RALEIGH, N.C. — Gregory Taylor walked into freedom Wednesday with baby steps trained by leg shackles.

He stepped into fame after serving 17 years of a life sentence for murder; three judges declared him, clearly and emphatically, innocent. He was the first man freed by a new process propelled by N.C. Innocence Inquiry Commission, the first of its kind in the nation.

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 18-2-2010 by Mdv2]

Taylor, 47, wasted more than half his adult life in prison after what his lawyers declared a reckless rush to judgment by Raleigh police and Wake County, N.C., prosecutors. Their mistakes cost him 6,149 days. In those, his daughter graduated from college and walked down the wedding aisle unescorted. His grandson, Charles, learned to walk and talk. His sister lost a battle with cancer.

Wednesday, Taylor cried until his horned-rimmed glasses fogged and laughed until his whole body shook.

"Sometimes I’d like to be more angry than I am," Taylor said. "It’s not a sustainable emotion. Right now, I’m just the most elated person in the world."

Truth always prevails, and I think the man whom purposefully withheld evidence that ruled out the presence of blood trails on Taylor's truck should be brought to court.

I cannot believe that people are capable of destroying people's live like this. No matter how much compensation he's gonna receive, it won't buy back these 17 years.
The prosecutor personally offered him his apologies in the courtroom but that cannot be sufficient.



news.bos tonherald.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 18-2-2010 by Mdv2]

reply to post by Mdv2


Stories like this bring tears to my eyes.

Not only his own life was wrecked, but the lives of his family.

And when I think of all the murderers and other abusers walking free, I feel so angry.

This just makes me wonder how many other innocent people are behind prison walls, and will they ever be free?

I am overjoyed for this mans freedom and saddened at the same time for all he lost.

reply to post by freedomataprice


I believe it is many. I don't even want to think of those who have been executed innocently. Judicial failure cannot be avoided, in the past couple of years I know of at least two cold cases in which three men were released due to incorrect allegations, but in this specific case that this man was put in jail while someone knew it was someone else they should be looking for. I am still in disbelief.