Baltimore man convicted in 1998 murder of teenage girl is exonerated

New DNA technology springs another innocent from prison

Prosecutor Marilyn Mosby apologises (Baltimore City State's Attorney Office)

A Baltimore man has been exonerated after more than fifteen years in prison for murder after new DNA testing established that the blood on the victim’s T-shirt did not match his.

Lawyers for Malcolm Jabbar Bryant, 42, requested a new trial for their client in the light of the new evidence findings. A Baltimore Circuit Court judge granted the motion on Wednesday and prosecutors then dropped all charges against him.

Mr Bryant was convicted in the November 1998 stabbing death of Toni Bullock. He was arrested a few weeks after Ms Bullock, 16, was grabbed by a knife-wielding assailant while walking with her best friend and pulled into a vacant lot before being fatally stabbed. The motive was murder, prosecutors said at the time.

Police had moved to arrest Mr Bryant, 42, after he apparently matched a drawing of the assailant done for them by the other girl who escaped. After his conviction he was sentenced by a judge to life behind bars plus ten years.

“Hallelujah,” Mr Bryant's mother exclaimed as the court hearing confirmed the dropping of all charges. He is expected to be released from prison before the end of the week.

Officials voiced their concern for the family of the victim, but also sought to say sorry to Mr Bryant for the years of his life that have been lost.

“My heart also breaks for Malcolm Bryant, who was only 25 years old when he was sentenced,” State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby said at a press conference. “So on behalf of the criminal justice system, I would like to apologise to Malcolm Bryant and his family.”

After Mr Bryant’s tried in vain to insist on his innocence from behind bars and exhausted all avenues to appeal his conviction, his case was taken up by the Baltimore Innocence Project which then brought it to the attention of the prosecutors’ office.

The new testing of evidence had been ordered by Ms Mosby’s. Results obtained late last year failed to match Mr Bryant to the victim.

“The only plausible explanation...is that the DNA is in fact that of the killer and the DNA does not match that of Mr. Malcolm Bryant, which means he is not the killer,” Ms Mosby said.