“Twenty-two years, 11 months and four days. I’m still a little speechless. I’m feeling really good, really good.” – David Boyce

On March 19th, 2013, David Boyce was finally released from prison. In 1991, Boyce was convicted of capital murder after a man with whom he was sharing an efficiency room was found stabbed to death. Although there was evidence at the scene, none of it connected Boyce to the murder. All that linked him was testimony from a dog sniffing “expert,” an informant who was a repeat player and got an undisclosed deal from the state, and testimony that a long haired man had been lurking around the hotel and that Boyce had long hair at the time (he didn’t).

His case was screened by the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project and referred to a committed legal team at Howrey since MAIP did not co-counsel on cases at that time. After Howrey dissolved, Winston & Strawn in Chicago took up the case and ultimately won it in federal court, setting Boyce free.

More about this case:

National Registry of Exonerations

Daily Press – After 23 years behind bars, David Boyce walks out of jail on bond

Richmond Times-Dispatch – State won’t appeal U.S. dismissal of man’s capital murder conviction

Richmond Times-Dispatch – Federal judge throws out capital murder conviction

Daily Press – Judge tosses 1991 capital murder conviction, life sentences, in Newport News case