Murder charges dropped against Darrell Houston during new trial

CLEVELAND - Prosecutors dropped murder charges against a man who received a new trial after he was convicted of a murder he insisted he did not commit.

Darrell Houston is now a free man. Prosecutors asked for the dismissal of charges because they felt they could not proceed with the case.

The only witness to the murder testified that Houston was not the shooter.

Keep checking newsnet5.com for more information.

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The only eyewitness is expected to testify Thursday in the new trial of a Cleveland man who was freed from prison following an exclusive 5 On Your Side investigation.

Darrell Houston was convicted of the murder of a convenience store clerk in September 1991. He spent 16 years in prison until an Ohio Appeals Court ordered a new trial.

Prosecutors are expected to call to the stand the only eyewitness to the shooting Thursday, James Pope. Pope was a store clerk at the time and has repeatedly said that Darrell Houston was not the shooter.

Meanwhile, the jury heard testimony from a security guard who was working across the street from the convenience store the night of the shooting.

Testimony described a man wearing sweatpants, a sweatshirt and a brown or grey jacket leaving the store after the guard heard a single gunshot.

The sweatpants and sweatshirt were described as all the same light color, but the guard said she could not identify the man.

But the guard also described the  suspect as 6-foot, 3-inches tall. The same guard described the suspect two days after the shooting as closer to 5-foot, 6 to 8 inches two days after the murder but was shot sure about the height when first interview by a Cleveland detective two days after the shooting.

Darrell Houston was arrested four and a half hours after the shooting wearing a brown jacket, a black sweatshirt and brown pants and black tennis shoes.

The eyewitness who is scheduled to testify told police the night of the murder that the suspect was wearing a grey jacket, stone washed jeans and white nike hi-tops.

Keep checking newsnet5.com throughout the day for updates on this story.