BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A judge threw out the murder convictions of a southwestern Michigan man who was serving a life sentence for three slayings in 2005.
Berrien County Circuit Court Judge Angela M. Pasula set aside Corey McCall’s conviction Friday morning during a hearing.
Three people, including a 12-year-old boy, were shot in the head during a home invasion in Benton Harbor.
McCall was not accused of being the shooter. But he was identified as someone who was armed and in the house.
McCall told police that he was at a store.
The attorney general’s office says its conviction integrity unit took a fresh look at McCall’s case.
"The exoneration of Mr. McCall is an example of the importance of a collaboration between multiple agencies," Nessel said. "When I established the CIU, I envisioned our office working side-by-side with local prosecutors and police departments to uncover the truth. I commend the attorneys and investigators in my office, the local agencies, and the WMU-Cooley Innocence Project for their hard work in ensuring justice for Mr. McCall"
He was released from a state prison in Ionia following a 10:30 a.m. hearing in Berrien County.
The WMU-Cooley Law School Innocence Project assisted Attorney General Dana Nessel’s conviction integrity unit in the investigation leading to McCall’s exoneration.
A release celebration for McCall is planned for McCall at 1 p.m. at Bertha Brock Park in Ionia.
FOX 17 will live stream the celebration as the WMU-Cooley Law School introduces the new exoneree after 16 years of wrongful imprisonment.
