Poppy Bilderbeck
A Chicago man has been exonerated after 12 years in prison following a witness turning out to be legally blind.
Darien Harris was sentenced to 76 years in prison at the age of 17 after being found guilty of first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Rondell Moore at a gas station.
However, after 12 years inside, yesterday (19 December), now 30 years old, Harris was allowed to walk free from Clark County Jail in Chicago.
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During the 2011 shooting, Moore was shot three times after he pulled up into a local gas station.
Moore is reported by NBC News as having run to a parking lot where he passed away and a mechanic who tried to help the victim was also shot and injured.
When the shooting occurred, Harris said he was at home watching a basketball game however, a witness came forward and identified him as the shooter which led to Harris being arrested days later.
During his 12 plus years in prison, Harris investigated his own case, with the help of several mentors and attorneys Lauren Myerscough-Mueller of the Exoneration Project and Pat Blegen of Blegen & Associates.
The case against Harris reportedly relied primarily on the testimony of the witness who came forward claiming to identify him as the shooter.
According to a Facebook post by the Exoneration Project, it was later discovered at the time of the crime the witness had severely limited visibility as a result of suffering from advanced glaucoma - the witness even determined as being legally blind by doctors in 2003.
Harris' lawyers stated they were not made aware of this fact at trial, accusing the witness of lying.
The witness was also further away from the scene of the crime than they first claimed, proven by surveillance footage.
"[And] two witnesses in the case have claimed that police officers attempted to coerce them into making a false identification of Mr. Harris," the Exoneration Project adds.
Initially, prosecutors wanted to retrial Harris, however, yesterday, they decided to drop charges altogether.
After getting out of prison, Harris spoke with CBS Chicago and took the opportunity to thank everyone who 'believed' in him and in his innocence.
He also thanked his mentors, noting: "Without them, I wouldn't be here right now because they taught me a lot. They taught me how to be a man, they taught me patience, you know, I learnt strength.
"I've been through a lot and these twelve-and-a-half years been gone, it wasn't easy at all but I fought, and now I'm here."
Harris reflected on it being the 'happiest moment of [his] life' to be standing outside of the prison surrounded by his family and friends.
However, he resolved: "There's a lot of more people to free. [...] The list goes on."