The vibrantly-named Kash Register, 53, walked free today after spending 34 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Having consistently maintained his innocence, the man told reporters he was "just in a numb feeling right now."
A California Superior Court judge overturned his sentence last Thursday, based on evidence that "used false testimony at trial and failed to disclose exculpatory evidence." Register had been sentenced to 27 years to life for the murder of a 78 year-old man in 1979. The AP reported:
Register was convicted mainly on alleged eyewitness testimony. None of the seven fingerprints found on Sasson's car matched Register's, and police never recovered the murder weapon.
Register's girlfriend said he was with her at the time of the shooting but prosecutors relied on the testimony of Brenda Anderson, who identified Register as the gunman.
Two of Anderson's sisters said their sibling lied about seeing Register running away from the crime scene.
Shares