Innocence project secures early release of man originally convicted of double murder
Sep. 11—A man serving life without the possibility of parole for a double murder, four counts of attempted murder and conspiracy in a 1999 shooting was released Thursday after the Loyola Project for the Innocent uncovered new evidence casting doubt on the original conviction.
"I feel unreal," said newly released 41-year-old Dwight Jones on Friday. "I am still trying to process it."
Three suspects went to trial in 2000 for a drive-by shooting mounted upon a 200-person crowd at Casa Loma park, leaving two — 24-year-old Alvin Aaron Jr. and 19-year-old Francisco Carter — dead and four others wounded, according to reporting by The Californian at the time.
Two suspects were acquitted, while then-20-year-old Jones was found guilty on Sept. 11, 2000. His conviction hinged on two key details: a witness placed Jones at the scene and a fingerprint indicated Jones rode along in the Jeep from where shots were fired.
Megan Baca, a senior staff attorney and investigation coordinator with Loyola Project for the Innocent, found new evidence that discounted the original prosecutor's arguments.
Baca said their team spoke to 40 people claiming Jones was never a gang member and had no motive to commit the crime. Some remember standing next to Jones during the shooting, she added.
The attorney said the crime's perpetrators, in the Jeep during the shooting, said Jones was not in the car.
Jones' palm print was in the Jeep because many people borrowed the car throughout the neighborhood. On that day, Jones borrowed the car earlier to go play basketball and returned the Jeep to the owner before the shooting, Baca said. Furthermore, the project conducted a DNA analysis and the results revealed Dwight is "excluded" from being the palm print's owner, Baca said.
Lastly, the witness placing Jones in the car testified in exchange to drop prosecution on unrelated cocaine charges, The Californian previously reported. Baca said a witness placing Jones at the scene was paid for his testimony and told LPI that he didn't see what he claimed at trial.
Kern County Superior Court Judge Charles R. Brehmer vacated Jones' conviction, re-sentenced him to time served and ordered his release on Sept. 2 after prosecutors filed a motion and new evidence. The Loyola Project for the Innocent sought to overturn Jones' conviction, but the Kern County District Attorney's office offered a deal of reduced charges, according to LPI's news release.
"He was sentenced to die in prison," Baca said. "The opportunity of him actually being able to live a life ... he just jumped at the opportunity."
Kern County Assistant District Attorney Joseph Kinzel said Jones was not "factually innocent." However, the appearance of new evidence and witnesses changing their statements from the original trial prompted the office to strike a this deal whereby Jones' charges were reduced to two counts of voluntary manslaughter and a personal use of a firearm with enhancement, he said.
Jones regrets missing out on celebrations of certain milestones with his family. He especially wishes he could have visited his aunty, who raised him, before she died of cancer.
Jones ate a steak, fried shrimp and dessert made with strawberries and chocolate at a downtown Bakersfield restaurant Thursday before traveling to see his family. He wants to spend time with his father, a survivor of two heart attacks, and then hopefully get a job to reintegrate into society.
"I don't want to rush anything," Jones said.
You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @idesai98 on Twitter.
