Free: Michael McAlister, 58, who has spent the last 29 years in prison, has been released after it was revealed he was wrongly convicted in 1986 for attacking a woman in a Richmond, Virginia, laundromat.
[From article]
A Virginia man who spent 29 years in prison for an attempted rape he did not commit has been pardoned by the governor.
It was revealed Michael McAlister, 58, was wrongly convicted in 1986 when a serial rapist, believed to be Norman Bruce Derr, confessed to the Richmond attack in 2004.
Wednesday's pardon comes five days before a scheduled hearing that could have resulted in Michael McAlister being held indefinitely under Virginia's civil commitment law for treatment as a violent sex offender.
Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe said in a written statement that overwhelming evidence shows McAlister is innocent.
McAlister was initially convicted of the February 1986, abduction and attempted rape of a woman who was dragged at knifepoint from an apartment complex laundry room.
The victim identified McAlister as the attacker from a photo lineup that did not include a picture of a serial rapist Derr, who is now believed to be the real perpetrator.
McAlister's sister, Denise Haas, 62, who drove with their mother, Rebecca McAlister to pick him up from prison, told the Washington Post: 'I am one of the happiest women in the whole wide world right now, next to my mother. We're going directly home, so he can eat some of his mother's home-baked cookies.'
It was revealed Michael McAlister, 58, was wrongly convicted in 1986 when a serial rapist, believed to be Norman Bruce Derr, confessed to the Richmond attack in 2004.
Wednesday's pardon comes five days before a scheduled hearing that could have resulted in Michael McAlister being held indefinitely under Virginia's civil commitment law for treatment as a violent sex offender.
Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe said in a written statement that overwhelming evidence shows McAlister is innocent.
McAlister was initially convicted of the February 1986, abduction and attempted rape of a woman who was dragged at knifepoint from an apartment complex laundry room.
The victim identified McAlister as the attacker from a photo lineup that did not include a picture of a serial rapist Derr, who is now believed to be the real perpetrator.
McAlister's sister, Denise Haas, 62, who drove with their mother, Rebecca McAlister to pick him up from prison, told the Washington Post: 'I am one of the happiest women in the whole wide world right now, next to my mother. We're going directly home, so he can eat some of his mother's home-baked cookies.'
[. . .]
The 22-year-old victim managed to see part of his face by pulling up a mask.
McAlister, who had been known to the police for public indecency and drunken incidents, looked remarkably like the police sketch that was later released.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3080665/Va-man-wrongfully-convicted-attempted-rape-pardoned.html
Innocent man jailed for 29 years for attempted rape is pardoned after it's revealed he was convicted because he looked just like sex offender who DID commit the crime
Michael McAlister, 58, was convicted of attempted rape and abduction
Was overturned when a serial rapist confessed to the 1986 attack in 2004
Victim identified McAlister in photo line-up that did not include new suspect
Could have been held indefinitely under Virginia's violent sex offender laws
His sister said they were taking him straight home so he could have his 'mother's home-baked cookies'
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
PUBLISHED: 17:05 EST, 13 May 2015 | UPDATED: 03:30 EST, 14 May 2015
McAlister, who had been known to the police for public indecency and drunken incidents, looked remarkably like the police sketch that was later released.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3080665/Va-man-wrongfully-convicted-attempted-rape-pardoned.html
Innocent man jailed for 29 years for attempted rape is pardoned after it's revealed he was convicted because he looked just like sex offender who DID commit the crime
Michael McAlister, 58, was convicted of attempted rape and abduction
Was overturned when a serial rapist confessed to the 1986 attack in 2004
Victim identified McAlister in photo line-up that did not include new suspect
Could have been held indefinitely under Virginia's violent sex offender laws
His sister said they were taking him straight home so he could have his 'mother's home-baked cookies'
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
PUBLISHED: 17:05 EST, 13 May 2015 | UPDATED: 03:30 EST, 14 May 2015
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