Eideard

Cutting off the GPS monitor

A Florida judge threw out the rape and murder conviction of a man who served more than half his life in prison before DNA testing exonerated him.

“Let me take the opportunity to apologize to you for the criminal justice system of the state of Florida,” Broward County Circuit Judge Thomas M. Lynch IV told Anthony Caravella, 41, who served more than half his life, or nearly 26 years, in prison for a crime DNA tests said he didn’t commit…

Caravella was 15 and had an IQ of 67, well below normal, when he was charged with the Nov. 5, 1983, murder of Ada Cox Jankowski, 58, in Miramar, Fla.

Public defender Diane Cuddihy argued last year new evidence showed police had hit and coerced the mentally challenged teen into confessing, promising a girlfriend would be freed if he helped them…

DNA test results exonerated Caravella Wednesday. County prosecutors asked Lynch Thursday to throw out his conviction and life sentence.

“I waited a very long time for this — it feels good, man,” the Sun-Sentinel quoted Caravella as saying.

Caravella was provisionally released six months ago when early tests seemed to clear him. But he had to wear a GPS monitor and obey a curfew while prosecutors did further forensic testing.

He said Thursday he felt 10 pounds lighter without the GPS device around his ankle.

How many more like him remain in prison – convicted unjustly?

Anthony Caravella’s first day of freedom was a mix of catching up with family members he hasn’t seen in more than a quarter-century, cautiously venturing out into a changed world and taking care of necessities like getting a Social Security card.

His brother, Larry Dunlap, had to tell him that he no longer needs to ask for permission to move from room to room…

“I’m trying not to get too used to this [freedom],” said the convicted rapist and murderer, who was set free Thursday on a judge’s orders. Prosecutors requested his temporary release after a DNA test cast grave doubt on the convictions…

He walked out of the Broward County Jail on Thursday afternoon with no money and no possessions other than the shirt, pants and sneakers that his public defender, Diane Cuddihy, bought for him. He felt self-conscious that he has to rely on his youngest brother for everything and said he wanted to get a job as soon as possible…

There was kindness from strangers — a lawyer donated two prime tickets to a Miami Dolphins game in October and a local man offered Caravella and his brother and sister a day trip to Disney World.

To help him adapt after nearly 26 years behind bars — he was 15 when he was arrested — the Innocence Project of Florida offered a social worker.

The judge released him because DNA evidence made it clear he wasn’t the guilty party. Any bets on whether nor not the courts consider his testimony that the mentally-challenged 15-year-old [then] was beaten to get a confession?

UPDATE: Mr. Caravella is finally free of prison, free of the ankle bracelet ordered by the state – until his final hearing.