Newly discovered DNA evidence proving Ryan Matthews innocent, and identifying the real killer, will be submitted to the Louisiana State Supreme Court on Monday.Matthews has been in incarcerated for the armed robbery-murder of convenience store owner Tommy Vanhoose since April of 1997 and was convicted and sentenced to die for the crime in May of 1999. He is now on death row at Angola Prison.
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Other evidence shows that Matthews is innocent. The murderer was seen fleeing the scene in a getaway car after jumping headlong through the open passenger-side window. The car that Matthews was picked up in and which the police alleged to be the getaway had an intact passenger-side window that had been stuck in the up position for years, according to witnesses. No physical evidence was ever found linking Matthews to the crime. The witnesses with the best opportunity to view the gunman described him as being between 5'4" and 5'7'. Mr. Matthews is 5'11".
Matthews was convicted on the basis of two weak eyewitness identifications. One of those identifications has come under scrutiny recently when it was revealed that the witness, Candice Meza, had pending felony charges for child abuse and prostitution at the time that she testified. The prosecution failed to inform the defense about these charges. The courts require such disclosure because the charges can bias the witness in hopes of getting lenient treatment if they tell the police what they want to hear. Ms. Meza was recently arrested on the charges.
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