After spending 14-years behind bars, Stanley Mozee and Dennis Allen have been exonerated.
Both Mozee and Allen were indicted for murder back in 2000. Dallas County District Attorney, John Creuzot, and the Conviction Integrity Unit moved to dismiss the cases Friday of Mozee and Allen on the basis of actual innocence.
The motions were presented to State District Court Judge Raquel Jones in the 203rd Judicial District Court.
For the past 10-years the Conviction Integrity Unity has been working with attorneys from the Innocence Project and the Innocence Project of Texas to review and re-investigate their cases.
After a joint re-investigation, the Conviction Integrity Unit agreed to post-conviction relief in 2014 on the basis that the trial prosecutor suppressed exculpatory evidence.
Nina Morrison, the senior attorney with the Innocence Project, led the charge.
"It is important to note, that these were wrongful convictions that did not have to happen," said Morrison. "There was evidence of these men innocence. There were eye witness statements, letters from informants that lied on the witness stand. All of this had been hidden from them by the trial prosecutor back in 1999 and 2000. It's against the law then, and against the law today to hide evidence of someone's innocence."
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In court Friday, Jones stepped down from the bench to approach Mozee and Allen face to face.
"The indictments are dismissed based on zero credible evidence," said Jones.
Today was the first time the two men were publically declared innocent by Dallas County. "My experience in prison for me was like being kidnapped and held hostage," said Dennis Allen. "Today, I've been released from hostage, the bonds have been broken. I’m thankful for Mr. Creuzot for doing the right thing."
"I'm just so thankful that this day has come and that the burden is lifted," said Stanley Mozee.
Even though Mozee and Allen were freed from prison almost five years ago, today's dismissal allows them to receive compensation for the time they spent behind bars.
