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Judge overturns manslaughter conviction in Leah Freeman's death, faults state police
Judge overturns manslaughter conviction in Leah Freeman's death, faults state police
by ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press Monday, December 2nd 2019
Fifteen-year-old Coquille teen Leah Freeman was last seen June 28, 2000. Her body was found 5 weeks later. (SBG/File)
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A judge in Oregon has ruled that the Oregon State Police failed to reveal DNA evidence that would have exonerated a man charged with killing his girlfriend, and has overturned his manslaughter conviction.
Nicholas McGuffin has maintained his innocence in the death of Leah Freeman, who was 15 when she disappeared from her hometown of Coquille, Oregon, in 2000. Her body was found in the woods five weeks later.
Janis Puracal of the Forensic Justice Project, who is McGuffin's lead attorney, said on Monday that McGuffin has spent nine years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
According to Puracal, Malheur County Circuit Judge Patricia Sullivan said in her Nov. 26 ruling that the Oregon State Police lab violated McGuffin's constitutional rights by failing to disclose the DNA evidence.
The state police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
by ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press Monday, December 2nd 2019
Fifteen-year-old Coquille teen Leah Freeman was last seen June 28, 2000. Her body was found 5 weeks later. (SBG/File)
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A judge in Oregon has ruled that the Oregon State Police failed to reveal DNA evidence that would have exonerated a man charged with killing his girlfriend, and has overturned his manslaughter conviction.
Nicholas McGuffin has maintained his innocence in the death of Leah Freeman, who was 15 when she disappeared from her hometown of Coquille, Oregon, in 2000. Her body was found in the woods five weeks later.
Janis Puracal of the Forensic Justice Project, who is McGuffin's lead attorney, said on Monday that McGuffin has spent nine years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
According to Puracal, Malheur County Circuit Judge Patricia Sullivan said in her Nov. 26 ruling that the Oregon State Police lab violated McGuffin's constitutional rights by failing to disclose the DNA evidence.
The state police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
1 replies
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Withholding the DNA evidence was a scummy thing to do. I wonder if the small town cops just wanted to make Nicholas a scapegoat and put a notch in their belt as a conviction.
What's going to come out when they turn this rock over? I guess I'll go look in Websleuths; they probably know 
On the serious side, Rest in Peace, Leah 
I hope the murderer is revealed and you and your family receive the true justice you all deserve.
