INTO THIS TYPE OF CAREER IS VERY FULFILLING. THE
THE THINGS HAVE HIT A CRITICAL STAGE HERE IN BRADFORD COUNTY. THE SHERIFF WORKING WITH HIS
TEAM TO COME UP WITH A PLAN
THAT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE
BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSION NEXT
WEEK.
REPORTING LIVE NEAR FORT
LAUDERDALE TERREL ? LOCAL 10
NEWS.
>> THANKS TERREL BAUCUS BY 32
YEARS SINCE OF SOUTH FLORIDA
MAN WAS CONVICTED OF A COCONUT
GROVE MURDER.
HE WAS GIVEN A LIFE SENTENCE
BUT AFTER REVIEW OF THIS CASE
HIS LAWYER SAYS HE’S BEING
RELEASED.
>> LOCAL TIME.
[INDISCERNABLE].
SHE JOINS US UP WITH THE
LATEST.
BRIDGET?
LATEST. BRIDGET? >> NICOLE, HIS LAWYER SAYS HE
RECENTLY PASSED A POLYGRAPH
TEST.
HE’S BEEN SPENDING THE LAST 3
DECADES IN PRISON.
HE SAYS HE WAS MISTAKENLY
IDENTIFIED AS A SHOOTER AND A
MURDERER IN 1990.
THOMAS RAINER JAMES HAS SPENT
THE LAST 32 YEARS OF HIS LIFE
AND PERSON.
>> AND PSYCH LIVING A
NIGHTMARE.
AND FOR THE LAST 30 SOME YEARS
I BEEN TRYING TO BREAK UP FROM
IT.
>> HE WAS 23 WHEN HE WAS
ARRESTED AND CONVICTED FOR THE
MURDER OF FRANCIS McKENNON IN
1990.
THE MURDER HAPPENED WHEN 2 MEN
BURST INTO McKENNON’S COCONUT
GROVE APARTMENT FROM THE PLACE.
EVENTUALLY McKENNON WAS SHOT.
SOON ANONYMOUS TIPS BEGAN
POURING IN.
THAT THOMAS JAMES DEMENT
NICKNAMED DOGGED WILLIAMS WAS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MURDER.
SEVERAL MONTHS LATER POLICE
ARRESTED THOMAS JAMES ON
UNRELATED WARRANT.
BEFORE CHARGING HIM WITH
MURDER.
JAMES HAD BEEN IN TROUBLE
BEFORE.
DOUBLING A DRUG SALES.
IN THIS CASE HE PROFESSED HIS
INNOCENCE FROM THE BEGINNING.
>> YOU WILL FOR THE END OF TIME
SAY YOU’RE AN INNOCENT MAN.
>> YEAH.
THE FACTS AM INNOCENT.
NOT ONLY I SAID BUT THE FACT
SAID.
SO YEAH.
I WOULD GO TO MY GRAVE WITHOUT.
>> ACCORDING TO NATALIE FIGURES
THE FACTS ARE, THIS IS A CASE
OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.
>> ON 1000 PERCENT SURE THAT MY
CLIENT IS INNOCENT.
McKENNA’S STEPDAUGHTER IDENTIFY
JAMES IN THE LINEUP.
DURING JAMES TROUT SHE WAS THE
STATE’S STAR WITNESS.
>> HER TESTIMONY, SHE EXPLAINED
VIVIDLY SHE SAW MY CLIENT AIMED
AT HER FATHER AND CHEWED HER
FATHER IN THE HEAD.
>> PEARSON TO JAMES
INCARCERATION HE WOULD MAKE A
SHOCKING DISCOVERY.
THERE IS ANOTHER THOMAS JAMES
FEATURES.
HE WAS KNOWN TO RUN WITH DOG
WILLIAMS.
HE HAD A SOLID ALIBI THE NIGHT
OF THE ROBBERY.
TOMMY JAMES WAS ALREADY IN JAIL
THAT NIGHT.
>> THE PERSON THEY WEREN’T
REFERRING TO SOMEBODY THAT HAVE
THE SAME NAME AS ME.
>> FIGURES AND JAMES SAID THEY
THOUGHT TOMMY WAS EVER SUSPECT
AFTER FINDING OUT HE WAS IN
JAIL, THEY CAME ACROSS THOMAS
RAINER JAMES EVENTUALLY
CHARGING HIM WITH MURDER.
NOW, MORE THAN 30 YEARS INTO
HIS LIFE SENTENCE THE STATE
ATTORNEY’S OFFICE JUSTICE
PROJECT REOPEN JAMES CASE.
THAT STAR WITNESS FIGURES SAYS
SHIP HAS TISSUE NEW STATEMENT
THAT JAMES WAS NOT THE PERSON
WHO KILLED HER STEPFATHER.
>> SHE WANTS TO DO THE RIGHT
THING AND NOT TAKE THIS TO HER
GRAVE BECAUSE SHE MADE A
MISTAKE LOOKS JAMES IS BEING
HOUSED AT THIS PRISON FACILITY
AND TO ROW WHILE HIS CASE IS
UNDER REVIEW.
HIS LAWYER SAYS THE EVIDENCE IN
THIS WAS SHAKY FROM THE START.
THERE’S NO DNA EVIDENCE LINKING
JAMES TO THE CRIME SCENE AND
THE 9 PRINCE LIFTED DON’T MATCH
HIM EITHER.
HE IS ADAMANT POLICE HAVE THE
WRONG GUY.
>> ARE YOU A KILLER?
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
>> 332 YEARS HIS FAMILY HAS
STOOD BY HIM.
EVEN:RALLIES TO DRUM UP
SUPPORT.
JAMES COUSIN SENT A THOMPSON.
>> IT HURTS TO KNOW THAT HIS
LIFE HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY EVER
SINCE HE WAS 23 YEARS OLD.
AND HE IS STILL IN THERE.
>> HE SAYS WITH THE STATE
ATTORNEY’S OFFICE GIVING HIS
CASE A NEW LOOK HE IS
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC HE WILL
GET OUT NEXT THIS IS THE
CLOSEST BY GOD.
I CAN ACTUALLY SMELL IT.
I CAN ACTUALLY SMELL IT.
>> I CAN ALMOST SMELL IT HE
SAYS.
HE’S EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED
FROM PRISON SOON.
HE WILL THEN FACE A JUDGE AND
HE SENTENCE IS SUPPOSED TO BE
VACATED HIS LAWYER WILL WORK ON