New evidence in Lorain murder case could win new trial for Alfred Cleveland
Photographer: Getty Images
Posted: 09/10/2012
CINCINNATI - A federal appeals court panel has ordered a judge to consider new evidence in the case of an Ohio man who has spent 16 years in prison after being convicted of aggravated murder.
A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled Monday that Alfred Cleveland has "a credible claim of actual innocence," and that jurors surely wouldn't have convicted him had they had all the facts.
Cleveland was convicted of killing 22-year-old Marsha Blakely in Lorain, Ohio, based almost entirely on testimony from an admitted crack addict who got a reward for testifying and owed $5,000 to Cleveland.
That witness has since recanted his testimony, saying he was off drugs and wanted to get right with God.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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