September 28th, 2010
09:18 AM ET

Fingerprint exonerates deaf Texas inmate

A deaf Texas man, who was imprisoned for years for a sexual crime, was exonerated and will be released Tuesday.

Stephen Brodie was convicted of the 1990 sexual assault of a 5-year-old girl largely based on his confession rather than physical evidence, CNN-affiliate KTXA reported.

But new evidence emerged - a fingerprint at the crime scene from a different man who has since been convicted of a sexual crime against an underage teen.

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Filed under: Texas
soundoff (18 Responses)
  1. Judy

    Texas wants a conviction they don't care whether it's the guilty party or not. It's that red-neck mentality of holding someone responsible, preferably a Black someone if possible. Ever notice the majority of these overturned convictions happen in Texas?

    September 28, 2010 at 9:43 am | Report abuse |
    • Matt

      Ever notice that there are more people in Texas than most other states? Maybe that is why more convictions are overturned there than say South Dakota.

      September 29, 2010 at 4:30 am | Report abuse |
    • mendrys

      Perhaps it's also becauase, unlike a lot of other states, many counties in Texas actually preserve evidence in past cases. I suppose it makes some sleep better at night if they can believe that racism and false convictions could never happen in their perfect little states/communities.

      November 8, 2010 at 6:26 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Joe

    Too bad the damage has already been done. 20 years in jail not to mention the treatment from other inmates for being a child molester. How unfortunate.

    September 28, 2010 at 10:06 am | Report abuse |
  3. shatisha shubert

    ok they thought they had the right guy but years pass and then they realize that they had the wrong guy in jail so they think they r doing the right thing and letting the first guy out of jail and say sorry we were wrong u did not do the crime and pat the guy on the back and let him out of jail but what about the time of this guys life has been lost cuz Texas did not get it right the first time how does this guy that was jailed wrongly get those years back he could have done something important in his life then set behind bars he could have made money he cpould have a family how does he get those years back texas does noy care about his life now they have gave him his freedom back and they think that make everything right if they only were in that guys shoes for a day even a day that he was in jail wrongly they would look at it through different lens and see how they did that guy so wrong and there is nothing they can do to make that guy life better but i believe giving him like a very large amount of money would be better then nothing

    September 28, 2010 at 10:49 am | Report abuse |
    • Reisk

      Opinions greater than five words require punctuation.

      November 8, 2010 at 3:48 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Jimmy

    I was in jail once but i ran away

    September 28, 2010 at 11:26 am | Report abuse |
  5. JC

    I suppose that late is better than never, but the number of reversals of convictions (where confessions were apparently given) is a bit startling – and these are just the ones that are admitted to by the authorities. I am sure there are innocents languishing in prisons in order to prevent the embarrassment/legal liability of high-profile individuals who's careers benefited from convictions.

    While I can see the "someone needs to be accountable" mentality, such a cynical position is a mockery of justice. Thank goodness for advances in technology that are reversing some of these, and organizations like The Innocence Project who advocate for people wrongfully thrown onto society's scrap heap.

    September 28, 2010 at 12:07 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Lisa baby

    Thank God the truth has set him free as all you said cant get that time but a big check wouldnt hurt but theyll probably bill him for his time in prison all those balogna sandwichs and oatmeal pies add up

    September 28, 2010 at 3:23 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Michael J. Patterson

    This case is notable for two reasons. First, the defendant confessed to a crime he did not commit, and later plead out to that crime, and second, there was exculpatory evidence that established his innocence, yet the police and D.A. failed to disclose that evidence to the defense. This was clearly a failure of justice at all levels, and should give people pause before assuming that a police-obtained confession equates to guilt.

    If anyone is interested, I shared a few of my thoughts on this case here: http://michaeljpattersonjd.wordpress.com/2010/09/27/another-dallas-county-inmates-conviction-overturned/

    September 28, 2010 at 3:26 pm | Report abuse |
  8. tomcat

    As a resident of Austin the city is more concerned about euthenizing animals than people. It is getting harder to say I am proud to be a Texan

    September 29, 2010 at 3:48 am | Report abuse |
  9. Marines123

    Texas is finally being critisized and will soon be liable for cruel and unusual punishment! Medication used for sedation and paralyctic are not prescribed for death. This has put pressure and a giant liability if anybody uses medication for the use other than it is prescribed for? Let's see if the drug companies want to risk their pattent. In addition the food and drug administration and the governer here in California who is so concerned about medicine. Medication is for life not death?

    September 29, 2010 at 4:23 am | Report abuse |
  10. tomcat

    Is it time for Texas to seceed and become a new country? Maybe the Bush family and Gov Perry then would be happy

    September 29, 2010 at 4:34 am | Report abuse |
  11. Marines123

    Yeah! Texas has become the wild dumb west. Seriously, they need to stop killing everybody.they have the highest death sentense rate in th country! How many were not ligit

    September 29, 2010 at 4:40 am | Report abuse |
  12. tomcat

    Hey Matt how many people are US citizens?

    September 29, 2010 at 4:40 am | Report abuse |
  13. tomcat

    word Marine

    September 29, 2010 at 4:42 am | Report abuse |
  14. Marines123

    Tomcat! Their are tons who are not US citizens! Let's give them a chance with education and millitary. Hey we need multicultural millitary for intell? Also, admit it. Some of those babes are hot!

    September 29, 2010 at 4:46 am | Report abuse |
  15. tomcat

    Yo soy un bollio pero La Raza es numero una aqui. We took this land from Mexico and now they want it back! So who is right to deport them? I dont see many white folks willing to do the jobs they are doing 7 days a week

    September 29, 2010 at 5:02 am | Report abuse |
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