Last week, MAIP client Matt Horner walked out of prison for the first time in 15 years, released on electronic monitoring. A federal judge reversed Matt’s conviction in February. While the state is appealing, it agreed to the release given the risks to prisoners during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Matt was convicted in 2005 of attempting to murder his then wife — an incident we now know was really an attempted suicide. The case was full of problems from the beginning, but those were not exposed at trial because of his lawyer’s ineffectiveness and the government’s failure to disclose information that would have critically undermined its only two witnesses — Matt’s ex-wife and a career jailhouse informant. 

We are disappointed that the state is appealing our victory. However, with a strong case and a terrific legal team led by Womble Bond Dickinson and including Hogan Lovells, we are confident that we will prevail on appeal. Most importantly, we’re thrilled that he is now in a safer place.

Matt is, too. He’s happy to be safe, thrilled to wear his new MAIP T-shirt, and eagerly awaiting the day when he can celebrate with us in person.

Matt is the 37th client MAIP has freed. Collectively, those wrongfully convicted men have served 723 years behind bars for crimes they did not commit.