After hurricane delay, Florida man files for release

William Dillon has spent 27 years behind bars in Florida, proclaiming his innocence of a 1981 Brevard County murder for which he was sentenced to life in prison. Now, he’s hoping new DNA test results will lead to his release.

Dillon’s public defender and attorneys at the

Innocence Project of Florida

obtained testing on a T-shirt that prosecutors said at trial had been worn by the Dillon when he allegedly killed the victim. The tests prove that another man wore the T-shirt, and Dillon’s lawyers filed a motion yesterday calling for his release. The filing was delayed a week when courts closed in the wake of Hurricane Fay.

"I think it was malicious detective work," (Dillion) said during a recent interview. "I think at a certain point they realized I wasn't the one, but they had enough to get me."

… "At trial, the state told the jury repeatedly that the shirt belonged to the killer and the state introduced the shirt into evidence," the motion states. "DNA testing now excludes Dillon as the wearer of the shirt and links someone else to the crime."

Read the full story here

. (Florida Today, 8/26/08)

Nine people have been exonerated to date in Florida.

Learn about their cases here

.