Wrongly convicted man freed after 29 years - Cavs provide courtside seats

[Small Town Guy]

One of those stories that's both horrifying and finally uplifting.

Ray Towler was released after serving 29 years of a life sentence for a rape he didn't commit. DNA testing, of course, revealed his innocence. He doesn't sound bitter and hasn't spoken of money, although he's in line for a seven-figure settlement. The judge broke down when announcing his release.

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/05/05/man-to-be-freed-thanks-to-dna.html?sid=101

The guy's also a big Cavs fan. The team heard about his case and gave him courtside seats for Game 5 of the Celtics series. The guy might get to see LeBron's final home game as a Cav.

http://www.clevescene.com/64-and-counting/archives/2010/05/06/cavs-give-front-row-tickets-to-ray-towler-man-who-was-released-after-29-years-in-prison-for-rape-he-didnt-commit

Also interesting is that he's the third person released since the Columbus Dispatch started a series in 2008 called Test of Convictions. The paper works with the Innocence Project to look at hundreds of cases.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Indians offered a dugout suite. He said he'd been in prison long enough.

 

[Batman]

Indians offered a dugout suite. He said he'd been in prison long enough.

They were actually trying to woo him to sign a free agent contract. They've had some success with ex-cons before.

 

[Colton]

Indians offered a dugout suite. He said he'd been in prison long enough.

Very well played, TSP. Kudos.

 

[tapintoamerica]

Yes, the classic Beano Cook quote about Reagan giving the freed hostages lifetime MLB passes. "Haven't they suffered enough?" Beano intoned.

 

[playthrough]

Wow, what a level-headed, remarkably un-pissed-off guy.

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

Can't believe a jury convicted him. Everyone knew he could get all the ***** he wanted.[/Drip]

 

[dooley_womack1]

Nah, JD, only you can

 

[Shaggy]

I feel terrible for him, even though he doesn't feel terrible for himself.

I commend the Ohio Innocence Project for doing a great service.

 

[zimbabwe]

His equanimity borders on the astonishing, considering what he lost.

The lack of anger or spite is almost superhuman.

A great ending to a debacle.

 

[exmediahack]

Hope is works out better than the story I covered for years in Wisconsin...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Avery

Covered Avery's release from prison in 2003, on 18 years of a rape conviction where DNA evidence came out against him. Avery had done a bunch of "smaller crimes" leading up to that - setting cats on fire, etc.

In 2005, Avery raped a young woman, got his 16-year-old cousin to join in the rape, he killed her and burned her body.

Let's just say the Wisconsin Innocence Project has had a harder time fundraising of late...

 

[farmerjerome]

I know this might sound weird, and I'm all for what the Cavs are doing for the guy but...

Maybe an arena with tens of thousands of screaming people isn't the best place for someone who was just released from nearly 30 years of prison. I mean, don't you think the guy might be freaked out just a bit after all of that structure?

Good for him anyway.

 

[zimbabwe]

Hope is works out better than the story I covered for years in Wisconsin...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Avery

Covered Avery's release from prison in 2003, on 18 years of a rape conviction where DNA evidence came out against him. Avery had done a bunch of "smaller crimes" leading up to that - setting cats on fire, etc.

In 2005, Avery raped a young woman, got his 16-year-old cousin to join in the rape, he killed her and burned her body.

Let's just say the Wisconsin Innocence Project has had a harder time fundraising of late...

Yeah, I also hope this guy doesn't rape and kill anyone.

 

[Ralph Waldo Henderson]

The Innocence Project people would make good nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize, if that hasn't happened yet.

 

[Batman]

I know this might sound weird, and I'm all for what the Cavs are doing for the guy but...

Maybe an arena with tens of thousands of screaming people isn't the best place for someone who was just released from nearly 30 years of prison. I mean, don't you think the guy might be freaked out just a bit after all of that structure?

Good for him anyway.

Lighten up. You've got to get busy livin' or get busy dyin'.

 

[Bodie_Broadus]

Wow, what a level-headed, remarkably un-pissed-off guy.

Amazing.

I wouldn't be so, if that happened to me.

 

[Brian]

I like to think if they promised not to rape, beat or kill me and I could put together a prison sports section to work on, my life wouldn't be all that changed. The work environment might even be a little more hospitable. More leeway on printing deadline.

Weightlifting features...the Lawrence Taylor Q and A could be fascinating... columns on Paul Crewe's passing efficiency and Warden Hazen's way-too-strict personal conduct policy...damn him making the players wear officially licensed socks!