A North Carolina man who spent nearly 17 years in prison on a first-degree murder conviction was released with his name cleared Wednesday, thanks to a unique innocence commission. The courtroom erupted in cheers, while Greg Taylor and his family members wept and hugged each other as the court was adjourned.
After the ruling was read, Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby walked over to Taylor, shook his hand and apologised for his conviction. Taylor, 47, was the first person in the state's history to be exonerated through the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission, the only state-run agency in the United States probing post-conviction claims of innocence. A three-judge state Superior Court panel reached its unanimous decision to free Taylor after a weeklong review of his case prompted by an investigation by the commission, established by state lawmakers in August 2006.
"It is ordered that the release sought by Gregory F. Taylor, the convicted person, is granted, and the charge of first-degree murder against Gregory F. Taylor is dismissed," presiding judge Howard Manning said after reading the ruling of each of the three judges on the review panel. Taylor was convicted in April 1993 for the murder of Jacquetta Thomas on September 26, 1991.
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