Man held for 42 years in deadly Arizona hotel fire ordered freed from prison

[Bo]

Source: U.S.News

An Arizona man who has maintained for 42 years that he had nothing to do with a horrific hotel fire that killed more than two dozen people pleaded no contest Tuesday in a deal that sets aside his original conviction and frees him from prison.

"Welcome back, Mr. Taylor," Tucson Superior Court Judge Richard Fields said after accepting 59-year-old Louis Cuen Taylor's plea on Tuesday, reported The Arizona Daily Star. The plea deal gives him credit for time already served.

Taylor was just 16 years old when he was sentenced to multiple consecutive life sentences for a fire that ripped through the Pioneer Hotel, a Tucson landmark that went up in flames in December 1970 while employees of an aircraft company were there for a Christmas party.






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The only person to speak on behalf of the hotel victims on Tuesday was Paul D'Hedouville II, whose father was killed when he was 4


Read more: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/02/17568019-man-held-for-42-years-in-deadly-arizona-hotel-fire-ordered-freed-from-prison?lite

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Does anyone here remember this fire? Sounds like they grabbed they 1st colored person they saw.

[Chakab]

1. This is disgusting.

The DA forced him to plead no contest to avoid going through another trial even though all of the "evidence" that he was convicted on has been thoroughly debunked.

I suggest that anybody who isn't familiar with this case watch the 60 minutes segment that aired a couple of days ago. This guy had his entire life stolen from him.

It's really terrifying to see what goes on in the criminal justice system in this country.

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. Did the same thing with the West Memphis 3: lawsuit prevention

Scumbags.

[Gregorian]

2. Fuck.

Something is severely wrong with Americans who prosecute unjustly.

We've lost track of what this country was about. Even as things have improved in some areas, it's as though we are still in the dark ages in other areas.

What if he had been executed. And what about all of those who are still in prison, or have been executed.

And what about the money we all pay to keep so many who shouldn't be in jail, in jail.

This sucks really badly.

[valerief]

3. This country is all about rich white men. Always has been, always will be, at least, during

my lifetime.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. The story was on 60 Minutes Sunday.

Yep, I sure got the impression they only nabbed him because he's black.

[maindawg]

6. the kid was black

the fire chief just assumed he was guilty because he was black..............Actually saw him say that. I wish that these scum were held accountable for their crimes. The wrong people are in jail.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

7. Jail is used as a threat to keep people in line.

[timdog44]

8. I share all the above sentiments.

This is the reason that the death penalty should be eliminated.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

9. Louis Taylor

should be very, very handsomely compensated for the injustice he's suffered. I have a feeling we haven't seen the end of this story.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

10. Horribly confusing title.

The man was held in a fire for 42 years?

Geez, editors should be ashamed.

[primavera]

13. That struck me as well

It's kind of mind-boggling that a professional editor would have so little grasp of language and grammar.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

15. What's worse is it took away from the story, which was tragic.

:sigh:

[marble falls]

11. Not quite. But the cops screwed it up so bad there would be no reinvestigation. Even if he ....

did do it he was in too long. He got buried by expert testimony.

[Faryn Balyncd]

12. THis shoud be a MAJOR story.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

14. but remember, Ann Coulter says racism hasn't existed in America for decades

Taylor didn't get the message while he was sitting in that cell