Posted: Jun 11, 2012 3:21 PM by Associated Press
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - A Los Angeles County judge has exonerated a 54-year-old man of murder charges after he served more than 25 years in prison.
City News Service reports Frank O'Connell walked free Monday from the same Pasadena courtroom where he was convicted in 1985 for the shooting murder of Jay French.
Superior Court Judge Suzette Clover overturned the conviction in April after the prosecution witness who picked O'Connell out of a lineup recanted his testimony, saying he never really got a good look at the gunman. The witness also said he'd been pressured by prosecutors to blame O'Connell.
O'Connell became a suspect in the case after detectives learned he had a romantic relationship with the victim's ex-wife.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
PLEASE HELP US MODERATE COMMENTS
Offensive or inappropriate comments are subject to removal. To report a comment, please e-mail us at feedback@ksby.com, and include the name of the story and information on the comment.
Thank you! KSBY.com
Comments