Robert Dewey's DNA exoneration last month is the result of a prosecutor-led effort that reviewed the cases of all Colorado prison inmates convicted of murder, manslaughter and rape.
DENVER (AP) - Julie Selsberg, a senior assistant attorney general, says the review examined 4,977 cases of inmates dating back to the 1960s. Dewey's case was the only one where the Colorado Justice Review Project ordered new DNA testing. Testing cleared Dewey in the 1994 death of Jacie Taylor in Palisades and he was released April 30. Douglas Thames Jr., who is serving a life sentence for a 1989 slaying in Fort Collins, has been named a suspect.
The review is part of a nationwide trend where prosecutors have established units to review convictions for error.
Dewey's is the 290th DNA exoneration nationwide since 1989.
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