HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) - A West Virginia judge has cited new DNA evidence in ordering a new trial for three men convicted in the 2002 slaying of a woman.
The Herald-Dispatch reports Cabell County Judge Alfred E. Ferguson ordered new trials for Nathaniel Barnett, Philip Barnett and Justin Black in the death of 21-year-old Deanna L. Crawford. Ferguson said he agreed with defense attorneys that the newly tested evidence would have affected the outcomes of their original trials.
Defense attorneys say the DNA test results tie another man, who is incarcerated in Ohio, to the death.
Ferguson denied a new trial for a fourth man who previously pleaded guilty but later recanted, saying his fate is in the hands of the West Virginia Supreme Court.
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Information from: The Herald-Dispatch, http://www.herald-dispatch.com
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