By Dark Sleuth
UPDATE: On December 15, 2017, the 11th District Court of Appeals reversed a lower court's decision that Crosley Green's appeal was untimely and therefore could not be heard. The reversal means that there will probably be a hearing in Green's case in which his attorneys will present Green's claim of "'actual innocence' amid accusations of prosecutorial misconduct".
Related post: Important court decision in Crosley Green's case
Crosley Green
(Source: CBS 48 Hours)
For over 25 years, Crosley Green, has sat in a Florida prison, convicted of a crime he did not commit. His story has been featured on 48 Hours in the episode, "Last Chance for Freedom."
Watch the full episode here:
I've never been able to forget Mr. Green's case. I firmly believe he is innocent of this crime. It is difficult to reconcile how he could have lost so many years to a miscarriage of justice.
48 Hours reporter Erin Moriarty has stated, "This case has haunted me... It's just gone on so long. They need to take a new look at this case." She has reported on it since 1999.
Mr. Green's attorney, Keith Harrison, of Crowell & Moring , told 48 Hours that "Crosley's not a broken man... He really has an extremely strong spirit." Even strong spirits need help and support. Please be sure to read the end of this post for more information on how you can help Crosley Green's fight for freedom!
Green's nightmare began in April 1989.
The Crime
On the night of April 3, 1989 in Brevard County, Florida, 22 year-old Chip Flynn was out with his ex-girlfriend Kim Hallock. According to Hallock, they were sitting in his truck at a baseball field when a black man kidnapped and robbed them at gunpoint.The pair were driven by the kidnapper to a remote orange grove. Hallock told authorities that it was there that Flynn recovered his own weapon from the truck and fired at the kidnapper. In the ongoing confusion, Hallock drove away to get help.
3 miles later, Hallock called 911. Police found Flynn in the grove. He was bleeding from a gunshot wound to the chest. Flynn could still speak, but would not tell authorities who shot him. He died while waiting for an ambulance.
The Wrong Man
Hallock's statements to authorities were problematic from the beginning and included several inconsistencies.
She could not accurately describe her assailant. It was also difficult to explain how the assailant drove the "hard to handle truck" with a "custom gear shift" all the while keeping the gun pointed at his two captives.
Hallock claimed there were multiple shots fired at the grove, but authorities "found no shell casings or bullets to support that. The only bullet found was the one that killed Chip."
Authorities found that Chip Flynn had no gunpowder residue on his hands, despite Hallock's statement that he had fired his weapon at the kidnapper. Hallock's hands were never tested for gunpowder residue, according to investigators. Her clothes were also not collected for testing.
Hallock also stated that both she and Flynn were barefoot in the grove, and that Flynn was made to heel. Authorities, however, found "no bare footprints... no knee prints... no shin prints."
She could not explain why it had taken her so long to call 911, despite passing by several places, including a hospital, where she could have gotten help.
Despite these problems, Crosley Green was arrested days later after being identified by Hallock in a flawed photo lineup. The irony is that Green did not even match Hallock's original description of her assailant, whom she described as having "jheri-curled hair" and being "well built." Green was slender and had short hair.
