Even though the victim wasn't certain, Alan Newton was convicted of her rape and sentenced to 13-40 years. He had a possible chance for release during each of the three times he came before the parole board. In order for the parole board to view him as "remorseful" he would have had to admit guilt. Alan maintained his innocence from the beginning to the end and because he did, spent 22 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
Technology advanced after he was sentenced and in 1994 the first motion was filed for DNA testing but there was a glitch. The New York Police Department could not locate the rape kit prepared when the crime was committed. They didn't look to hard for it either. They simply said it was lost.
"Late last year, after a formal request from the Bronx District Attorney's Office, NYPD officials found the evidence in the NYPD's Pearson Place Warehouse -in the exact bin where it was supposed to be, and where a Pearson Place official stated in writing he didn't see it after earlier requests."
I personally am further amazed that after locating the evidence late last year that it took another 6-7 months to complete the DNA testing and get him to court for his release.
He got his "15 minutes" on T.V. last week. He was very articulate and calm even when saying that the victim had died last year, never knowing he was truly innocent. There was no malice in his voice or actions. 22 years is a very very long time.
The Innocence Project located in New York City was instrumental in his release.
 http://www.innocenceproject.org/about/
"An Innocence Project review of cases it has closed (meaning cases that do not result in exonerations or continue in litigation) in the last 10 years shows that fully 50% of closed cases in New York City were closed because the NYPD said evidence was lost or destroyed at Pearson Place Warehouse. For the same time period nationwide, 32% of closed cases were the result of reportedly lost or destroyed evidence."
"Including Newton, 181 people in 32 states - including 19 in New York - have been exonerated through DNA testing. The Innocence Project, affiliated with the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, has provided direct representation or consultation in most of them."
I want to thank all those associated with the Innocence Project for doing the hard work towards freeing the lost and forgotten.
To Alan Newton - you never comprimised the Truth and even though they inprisoned you for all those years, through it all - you were already FREE. I wish you the best of everything for the remainder of your life.
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