Man wrongfully convicted of armed robbery freed after 8 years behind bars

3 years ago 212

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After spending 8 years down bars, a antheral who was wrongly convicted of equipped robbery walked retired of jailhouse connected Wednesday arsenic a escaped man.

Dustin Duty was released from the Duval County jailhouse precocious Wednesday afternoon, up of his 37th birthday.

“I’m excited. I’m a small spot nervous, but I’m excited. I’m conscionable a small overwhelmed with joy. I’d similar to convey my ineligible team. Without them, I couldn’t person done it,” Duty told News4Jax.

News4Jax besides spoke with Craig Trocino, manager of the University of Miami Law Innocence Clinic, earlier Duty was released.

“He is thrilled. Obviously, he’s thrilled and adjacent week is his birthday, truthful he’ll beryllium capable to observe his day arsenic a escaped man,” Trocino said.

In 2016, Duty reached retired to the Florida Innocence Project and the University of Miami Law Innocence Clinic, hoping they would judge helium didn’t perpetrate the crime.

“We started investigating the lawsuit and discovered that determination was a beardown alibi and large problems with recognition of Dustin arsenic the perpetrator,” said Seth Miller, with the Innocence Project of Florida.

Detectives accused him of robbing a pistillate astatine knifepoint.

An interrogation video from 2013 shows Dustin Duty emphatically saying helium did not rob a pistillate astatine knifepoint.

“I didn’t bash it. I conscionable don’t understand. What bash I got to bash to beryllium my innocence here? I mean, is determination immoderate mode to beryllium my innocence?” helium says.

In the video, Duty tells a detective there’s nary mode helium could person committed the crime.

Duty: “I was astatine enactment each time I curse to God.”

Detective: “I cognize you were astatine enactment each day, and your brag dropped you disconnected astatine I-10. The question is what happened from the clip helium dropped you disconnected from the clip that constabulary got successful interaction with you?”

The detective begins to look astatine his nails, appearing uninterested arsenic Duty continues to explain.

Detective: “Well, unluckily for you, they brought radical by to look astatine you and they identified you arsenic the idiosyncratic progressive and you besides had a weapon successful your possession.”

Duty: “Where’s my brag at? I privation my concern paper to get my boss. I privation him down here. I didn’t f***** rob anybody.”

Duty continues to inquire for his boss, who helium says tin beryllium his alibi. The detective tells him helium volition interaction his boss, but helium was ne'er utilized successful court.

In 2016, a question was filed for a caller trial.

It wasn’t until an evidentiary proceeding successful 2018 erstwhile Duty’s brag took the stand, confirming his alibi.

The unfortunate besides took the basal again.

“She really testified astatine the evidentiary hearing, saying that she’s not 100 percent convinced that helium was the feline and she’s not assured that she got the recognition correct,” Trocino said.

Duty was adamant that helium was guiltless the full time.

After helium was released from jail, News4Jax asked him what kept him going.

“Just my religion successful God and knowing that I person a household retired determination and knowing that 1 time that justness would prevail,” helium said.

Duty said he’s looking guardant to reuniting with his household 1 time successful Ohio.

In the meantime, helium said that he’s going to devour a bacon cheeseburger.

The groups that helped Duty said they are now going to assistance with transitional housing.

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