Yesterday was a huge step toward clearing Darrill Henry of a murder he did not commit. After spending 15 years in prison, he was finally released and reunited with his family.
When Darrill went away, his children were just starting elementary school, and one of their most cherished memories was having their father pick them up from school. Darrill Jr., now 22 years old, made the drive to Angola to pick his dad up and finally bring him home. Here are just a few powerful photos of the special moment.
Darrill Henry leaving Angola prison after 15 years in prison to greet his son Darrill Jr. Guitroz. Photo by David S. White/Innocence Project.
In 2004, Darrill was arrested for the murders of an 89-year-old woman and her 67-year-old daughter in the 7th Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana.
He was convicted based solely on flawed eyewitness identifications provided by three neighbors after they briefly saw a stranger leaving the scene. Eyewitness misidentification is the leading contributing factor to wrongful convictions overturned by DNA.
The results of modern DNA testing performed on evidence from under the mother’s fingernails excluded Darrill as the perpetrator and led to his conviction being overturned in March. And yesterday, after five weeks of the state appealing the setting of bail, he was finally able to walk free.
When his aunt Sheryl Henry-Batist saw him, she was overwhelmed with emotion, saying, “It's been a long time coming. I just knew one day he would walk out of those gates."
Throughout the 15 years he was behind bars, Darrill remained positive, saying, “I never lost faith that this day would come.”
That day is finally here. But his fight isn’t over. Darrill still has a difficult fight ahead and his legal team will be standing by his side until his charges are dismissed.
The Innocence Project exonerates the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reforms the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. www.innocenceproject.org
