Man exonerated in 2006 rape after DNA clears him, judge rules
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A man who was wrongfully convicted 15 years ago on kidnapping and rape charges was expected to be released from prison last week has had the charges against him vacated with prejudice.
Terance Calhoun pleaded no contest to kidnapping and sex crimes in 2007, but new evidence pointed to a different suspect. Not only did it cast doubt on Calhoun's involvement, the DNA fully exonerated him after 15 years in prison. Last week, he was expected to be a free man but a judge delayed that freedom when she acknowledged an unprecedented conversation.
She says a Detroit police officer came to her that morning with a binder full of what he described as evidence. Valerie Newman, the head of the Wayne County Conviction Integrity Unit, revealed all of that information on Wednesday and chastised the officer who tried to provide evidence - which was already in the court's hands - during a hearing last week. Newman held up a packet of evidence that was presented to the judge and said it wasn't anything that hadn't seen or reviewed before.
Back in 2007, investigators believed Calhoun sexually assaulted one teenager and attempted to sexually assault another teen in Detroit's Brightmore neighborhood.
On Wednesday, April 27, Calhoun was back in court for the hearing where he learned the charges against him were vacated with prejudice, meaning he can never be charged again with the crime.
During the hearing, it was revealed that the evidence cleared him in June 2007 but it wasn't provided to Calhoun.