Man cleared of murdering wife minutes before trial sues city of Ozark for $6m

The lawsuit alleges false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, emotional distress and humiliation

Carl Harris was only hours from trial when another man confessed to killing Harris' wife in 1990 (WTVY)

A man in Ozark, Missouri who was accused of killing his wife, only to have charges dropped minutes before his trial began, is suing the city for $6m, according to reports.

Carl Harris Jr was charged with murder in 2016 in the 1990 cold case of Tracy Harris. The charges were dropped on 13 January this year after police arrested another suspect for the killing, The Dothan Eagle reported.

Ozark Police Department charged 54-year-old Jeff Beasley of Ozark with murder after he admitted to killing Ms Harris, according to The Eagle.

Mr Harris Jr had been arrested in September 2016 in South Carolina and charged with his wife's murder after Ozark police reopened the investigation, the outlet reported. Ms Harris had initially been reported missing.

David Harrison, Mr Harris' attorney, said in January that they would be filing a lawsuit in the Middle District of Alabama against the City of Ozark, the investigators and Ozark police Chief Marlos Walker for violating Harris’ constitutional and civil rights.

WTVY reported that the claim filed against the city alleges false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, emotional distress humiliation and emotional suffering on behalf of Mr Harris.

“Today, everyone is talking about immunity for police officers, but when a police officer is incompetent to do their job, they lose that protection,” Mr Harrison said, according to The Eagle.

“You know, no one — and I mean no one — is upset that my client’s child was taken from him for 30 years. His child was taken from him the day of the funeral. No one has reprimanded or counselled the officer who made the story up that Carl Harris sat on Tracy Harris’ chest and choked her and then took her lifeless body and tossed it in the river. What about that officer?”

Mr Harrison said he was appalled at what the Ozark Police Department’s cold case unit had made the arrest that has so severely impacted his client's life with incompetent evidence.