|
|
| Rape Case Dropped After DNA Doubt |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 02/15/2002 |
|
Tasting freedom for the first time in more than 15 years, Bruce Godschalk walked out of prison after DNA evidence raised doubts about his rape conviction. Godschalk, 42, called his incarceration 'torturous' and his attorney planned to consider a civil lawsuit against Montgomery County. 'I lost my whole family while I was in jail - my mother, my father, my sister,' Godschalk said Thursday, moments after his release from the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. 'I'm not mad; I'm just interested in freedom.' Judge Gerald Corso granted Godschalk's request for a new trial, but prosecutors said they would ask the court to dismiss all charges rather than retry him. He was serving a 10-to-20-year sentence. Godschalk had confessed, but later said he was coerced. At the time of his conviction in 1987, Godschalk was a 26-year-old unemployed landscaper. Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor said he did not know whether Godschalk was innocent, but said he could not prove his guilt. 'I can't tell you what the truth is. But when you're a prosecutor, you have to be sure. And I'm no longer sure,' Castor said. After Godschalk sued for the release of DNA evidence, Castor and the Innocence Project had tests conducted on sperm samples taken from the two rapes. Both women were raped at an apartment complex in a Philadelphia suburb. Labs hired by both the defense and prosecution agreed the sperm appeared to be from the same man but not Godschalk. The Innocence Project, based at the Benjamin N. Cardoza School of Law in New York, provides free legal assistance to inmates in cases involving DNA evidence. |
advertise
|
privacy policy
|
add URL
|
about us
|
terms/disclaimer
|
contact us
|
join our team
|
help
Hiring an attorney can present confusing situations for someone. It’s hard to tell whether you’ll get the best service possible in your situation. You likely have a lot of questions. Will your lawyer hand off your matter to someone else? Will your lawyer return your phone calls? It’s hard to know without someone you can trust. If you been rollover accident in Waco you need a lawyer. People in Central Texas have trusted Dunnam & Dunnam for almost 100 years for their most pressing legal concerns. They understand the value of a good advocate. They’re a family helping Waco families since 1925.