A Chicago man's murder conviction has been thrown out after revelations surfaced that pivotal testimony in his trial came from an eyewitness who was legally blind. Darien Harris, now 30, was convicted in 2014 for the murder of Rondell Moore, with the beginnings of his sentence dating back to his arrest in 2011 when he was just a high school senior. Harris has always maintained his innocence, claiming he was at home watching the NBA Finals when the fatal shooting took place at a South Side gas station.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Cook County prosecutors have concurred with Harris' post-conviction request to vacate his conviction and sentence, setting the stage for a new trial. The decision came after acknowledging problems with a past witness's testimony and a lack of physical evidence. Harris was sentenced based on the word of Dexter Saffold, who testified in 2014 that he had witnessed Harris committing the crime. Saffold, however, was legally blind due to glaucoma, a fact that wasn't disclosed at the initial trial. Harris's mother decried the retrial decision as a "wasting of taxpayers' hard-earned money," citing all witness recantations and the absence of physical or DNA evidence tying her son to the crime.
Despite his conviction being vacated, Harris remains in custody pending his new trial. "This decision is not made lightly, but with a profound sense of responsibility towards the integrity of our legal system and the community we serve, and securing justice for the victim," the State's Attorney's office said in a statement, expressing commitment to a "fair and just resolution of this case, guided by the evidence and the law."
The case's complexities deepen with allegations of police misconduct in securing witness identification. According to CBS Chicago, Myerscough-Mueller, Harris’ attorney, claimed that an alleged getaway driver recanted his identification of Harris at trial, accusing police officers of coercing him into making a false statement. The police have denied these allegations. Furthermore, evidence has been presented identifying another individual, subsequently killed in another shooting, as the actual gunman.
Harris’ legal team expressed both relief over his conviction being vacated and frustration that the state plans to retry him. "We are looking forward to his day in court so that he can show his innocence and hopefully finally be free," said Myerscough-Mueller. Meanwhile, Harris' family, including his wife, who had hoped he'd be home for the holidays, are bracing for the next phase of legal proceedings, which they hope will ultimately vindicate him.
