Michael McAlister (pictured right) spent 29 years in
prison for rapes he didn't commit but was locked
because he had an uncanny resemblance to the man,
Norman Bruce Derr (left) who really committed the
crimes.
UK mirror reports;
An innocent man who spent 29 years behind bars after
being convicted of an attempted rape and kidnapping
has finally been given his freedom. Michael McAlister
was cleared after a serial rapist who had an uncanny
resemblance to the 58-year-old at the time confessed to
the 1986 offence. He was granted an unconditional
pardon by Virginia's governor, wiping away the
prosecution which he had campaigned against for
decades alongside family and friends.
After clearing McAlister (pictured above now), governor
Terry McAuliffe said in a written statement:
"A number of individuals in the law enforcement
community [...] have concluded that this crime was
committed by another individual, and that Mr McAlister
should be freed to return to his family and his
community.
"I have reached the same conclusion, and I have acted in
accordance with the law."
Upon being reunited with his sister and elderly mother
outside Dillwyn Correctional Centre, McAlister said that
the governor was a 'special man' for giving him his
freedom.
He told reporters: "It’s a great day. It’s a wonderful day.
Governor McAuliffe, he’s a special man for being brave
enough to do this."
McAlister added that his thoughts were with the victim
of the attack.
He said: "It wasn’t her fault, and I don’t hold any hard
feelings at all toward her. I hope [the attacker] can deal
with his issues as best he can."
McAlister was 29 and working as a carpenter when he
was identified by the victim in court.
The victim, a 22-year-old mum, was assaulted in the
laundry room of an apartment complex on February 23,
1986.
But she was able to partially pull her attacker's stocking
mask off during the attack, and caught a glimpse of his
face.
At the time, McAlister was known by police following a
string of alcohol-related incidents of public indecency.
He was misidentified after a police sketch resembled his
face, which helped lead to his wrongful conviction.
Shawn Armbrust, executive director of the Mid-Atlantic
Innocence Project, and James Bensfield and Jonathan
Kossak of the Miller & Chevalier law firm, said in a joint
statement: "We are thrilled that the governor did the
right thing and finally ended this nightmare."
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