A man who was sentenced to life in prison for a murder he didn’t commit might be released soon after spending more than 33 years behind bars.
The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office filed a motion requesting a Missouri court to dismiss the conviction of 52-year-old Christopher Dunn, who at 18 years old was sentenced to life in prison for the 1990 shooting death of 15-year-old Ricco Rogers.
That’s because there was no physical evidence to link Dunn to the teen’s murder, and two key witnesses against Dunn at trial have recanted.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner even wrote in the motion that there is “clear and convincing evidence” that Dunn didn’t commit this crime. That motion goes on to state that the eyewitness testimony of a 15-year-old and 12-year-old that played a major role in Dunn’s conviction had been recanted by the children under oath after they admitted they lied.
Dunn was sentenced to life in prison plus 90 years after a two-day trial in 1991. He was convicted of murdering Rogers, who was shot and killed on May 18, 1990.
Dunn’s mother and sister testified during an appeals process that Dunn was home that night, watching television, and had been on the phone with a friend.
“We are hopeful his wrongful conviction is set aside for the sake of Mr. Dunn, his family, and the people of the city of St. Louis,” the prosecutor’s statement reads.
Texas County Circuit Court Judge William Hickle reviewed Dunn’s case in 2020, according to that same motion. After analyzing the evidence, the judge reportedly stated, “The court does not believe that any jury would now convict Christopher Dunn under these facts.”
Despite the judge’s review, he cannot overturn the conviction unless Dunn was sentenced to death, under Missouri law.
According to Tricia Rojo Bushnell, executive director of the Midwest Innocence Project, to begin the process for the dismissal of Dunn’s sentence, a circuit court…
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