After 27 Years, Florida Man Walks Out of Prison

11.19.08

 

After serving 27 years in Florida prison for a murder he says he didn’t commit, William Dillon was freed last night in Florida on bond after a judge ordered a new trial in his case. He will wear an electronic monitoring bracelet and may face another trial in the case.

The Innocence Project of Florida has worked on the case with Dillon’s lawyers, who say DNA testing on a T-shirt from the crime scene proves Dillon’s innocence. We’ll post updates here on the Innocence Blog as the case develops.

“Well I’ll tell you what, we didn't think we'd be living to see him come home,” said Amy Dillon, William’s mother. Dillon said he's not at all bitter about spending a large portion of his life in prison.

"I'm not going to sit here and dwell on anything that's missed or passed or anything.  I'm just going to move ahead right now from this day forward," Dillon said.


Watch video of Dillon’s release and press conference

. (Channel 13, Central Florida)

Dillon's conviction was based partly on the testimony of dog handler John Preston, a retired Pennsylvania State Trooper whose methods have since been discredited. Preston was also involved in the wrongful conviction of

Wilton Dedge

, an Innocence Project client who served 22 years in prison before he was exonerated by DNA testing in 2004.

 

 

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