"Round up the usual suspects!"
Posted on 08/15/2010 3:42:08 AM PDT by Cardhu
Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III: 'We are having serious second thoughts'
parolee released from prison just two and a half weeks ago was arrested Saturday in connection with the worst carnage the City of Buffalo has experienced in at least three decades.
But before the day ended, law enforcement officials said they think they got the wrong man.
"We are having serious second thoughts," said Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III. "I have serious reservations about whether we have the right guy here."
Sedita said he planned this morning to move in City Court to dismiss charges against Keith D. Johnson, 25, of Buffalo, who was accused of murdering four people outside a downtown bar. Among those killed was a man who invited friends to the City Grill as part of his wedding anniversary celebration. The shooting also wounded four others, one critically.
The extraordinary move by law enforcement to change course after a murder arrest occurred after reviewing video and photos from the scene, and interviews with additional witnesses, Sedita said.
"What basically has happened," Sedita said, "is in the last eight hours ... we got additional video evidence. Investigators called me and said, Frank, you better come down here. We're having serious second thoughts.
"I looked at the evidence, along with four or five detectives, and the commissioner is here as well. There are certain discrepancies of people and clothing."
"I am going to probably ask the court to dismiss so we can continue the investigation, so we can be sure we have the right guy," he said.
Sedita's announcement came about 12 hours after Johnson was arrested at his home at 141 Minnesota Ave., by members of the Buffalo Police SWAT team, which also confiscated bloody clothing from the home.
(Excerpt) Read more at buffalonews.com ...
"Robbs, who was released from the hospital Saturday night. "I didn't get a good look at him, but it wasn't Keith."
The sister of another of the victims said Johnson is a family friend. "He did not do this," said Shaneesha White, sister of Shawn-Tia McNeil, who died in the gunfire."
Whose blood is on the bloody clothes found at the arrest scene, I wonder?
That is what I first thought but as he was at the party - many people helped the wounded and the dying so lots of people had blood on their clothing, but as the shots came from the other side of the parking lot the killer would be the least likely to have blood on him.
When i read that part,shots from across the street i asked myself what were the police thinking? This was a shooting,not a stabbing. Why would the perp have bloody clothes shooting from a distance?
Good point, thanks.
"Round up the usual suspects!"
He’s lucky he wasn’t Nifonged, which would be typical, rather than admitting a mistake.
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