Innocent L.A. man released after 20 years in prison
L.A. (BDCi) – After spending 19 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit, John Edward Smith was released from prison last Monday night (24) and the LAPD now says it will review the case.
Smith, 37, was incarcerated for nearly half his life for a fatal drive-by shooting in Mid-City in September 1993. One high school student was killed and another, who survived, identified a then 18-year-old Smith as the shooter.
Though Smith is a former gang member, the witness later admitted to being pressured by police to ID Smith as the shooter.
Throughout his imprisonment, Smith maintained that he was innocent and that he was at his grandmother’s house, miles away, at the time of the shooting.
It was not until just three years ago that a wrongful convictions group, known as Innocence Matters, took his case.
They were able to pinpoint problems with the lone witness’s testimony that identified Smith as the killer.
The LAPD has stated that it will review its 20-year-old investigation of the case, which was conducted by two now-retired detectives.
By: Diego Díaz Source: KTLA Photo: Google 2 October 2012
9:35 p.m. P.D.T.