Rape: DNA testing proves man innocent after 12 years in jail

How cruel fate could be sometimes. This man spent 12 years in jail only for DNA testing to prove recently, that he was innocent.

The man, Michael Philips, was convicted in 1990 when he pleaded guilty to raping a 16 year-old girl because his lawyer advised him to do so in order to avoid a trial which could earn a more severe punishment. According to the lawyer, “a jury would likely not side with a black man accused in the rape of a white girl”. Remember, it was 1990 in the United States of America! Besides, it was reported that the girl had picked him out from a photo line-up.
 

The 57 year old Philips would now have his name cleared after the latest DNA evidence even though he had fully served the 12 years prison term. He was released in 2002.

On Friday, July 25, 2014, a Texas district court judge ruled that Phillips' conviction should be vacated due to revelations gotten from the testing of old rape kits, part of an ongoing project by Craig Watsin, the Dallas County District Attorney.

Mr. Watkins, speaking on Friday, said:"This is a great day for Mr Phillips but a terrible day for our justice system”. 

According to him, there was no DNA from Phillips to compare to the profile from the semen in the rape kit. But when the semen was put into the FBI's database, another person was identified as the culprit.

But what next? Has the deed been done and the error committed? A source in the district attorney said that the statute of limitations has expired on the crime, which means, the perpetrator who was identified remains free.

"I always told everyone I was innocent and now people will finally believe me" said Phillips in a statement after the new ruling, adding: "I never imagined I would live to see my name cleared”.

Mr Phillips even has a more pathetic story: He is suffering from sickle cell anaemia and he uses a wheelchair. Six of his siblings have died of the same disease.

Philips currently lives in a nursing home