On Tuesday, a guy from Chicago who had been incarcerated for a period of twelve years was released from jail after being exonerated of accusations related to murder.
The conviction of Darien Harris was partly based on the testimony of a witness who turned out to be legally blind. Although a judge annulled his conviction earlier this month, Cook County prosecutors stated that they intended to retry him. After that, he was sent from a prison in the lower state to the Cook County Jail in order to await the outcome of that trial.
On the other hand, after examining the case against Harris on Tuesday morning, the prosecutors reached an agreement to withdraw all charges against him. He was released from jail shortly after six o’clock in the evening.
The statement that Harris made upon his release was, “These twelve and a half years of being gone, it wasn’t easy at all.” “But I fought, and now I’m here.”
Harris described the time he was finally freed as the happiest moment of his life. As soon as he made eye contact with his wife and mother outside of the jail, he was beaming from ear to ear.
“I engaged in combat. According to Harris, everyone should continue to fight. “Just keep on fighting – never give up.”
While Harris was still being held captive, his mother also showed her happiness.
“This is the best Christmas gift ever,” remarked his mother, Nakesha Harris. “It’s the best present ever.” It’s almost as if I’m within a dream. Not a single thing feels real. As soon as I am able to hold him in my arms, I suppose it will be genuine.
After analyzing the case over the course of the past couple of weeks, the attorney for Darien Harris, Lauren Myerscough-Mueller, expressed that they were “thrilled” that the prosecution’s decision to withdraw charges was made.
According to Myerscough-Mueller, Harris is currently making preparations to enroll in law school in order to assist other individuals who have been unfairly convicted in clearing their identities.
His upbringing has been primarily spent behind bars, but he has managed to maintain such a good attitude. “He is such a source of motivation for a number of people,” she remarked.
Harris, who is now 30 years old, was just 18 years old when he was accused of killing Rondell Moore in 2011 at a gas station located at the intersection of 66th Street and Stony Island. Additionally, he was sentenced to 76 years in jail after being found guilty after a bench trial in the year 2014.
The attorneys for Harris stated that the main witness for the prosecution, Dexter Saffold, was legally blind, a fact that they were not aware of during the whole of Harris’ trial. During the trial, they claimed that Saffold had lied about his vision.
It is common knowledge that justice is blind. As stated by attorney Lauren Myerscough-Mueller, “the eyewitness is not supposed to be blind.” When you convict someone in this manner, you are not doing it the right way. To put it another way, it is not how the legal system is meant to operate.
