Calvin Bright, a 47-year-old D.C. man, has been released after spending 25 years behind bars over a double murder, when a previously unknown letter emerged.
Having maintained his innocence for over two decades, Bright walked out of the jail in D.C. on the night of February 12, according to multiple news outlets.
In 1994, he was sentenced for first-degree murder the killing of Tammy Peay and William Ramsey. The murders took place near Central Place and Gallaudet Street NE the same year.
“I’m just ready to move on with my life,” he said, at his re-sentencing hearing in D.C. Superior Court, WUSA9 reported. “I believed this day was going to come. I never doubted it because I’m innocent.”
A letter from D.C. police that recently surfaced is naming another man as a suspect in the case. It was not disclosed to Bright’s defense team.
After its discovery, the defense team spent two years of additional litigation, at the end of which a settlement was reached between their client and the U.S. State’s Attorney’s Office. Bright’s sentence will count as “time served.”
After 13 yrs of work & dedication, Calvin Bright will be released after almost 26yrs in prison. Dave convinced prosecutors to a stipulated re-sentencing of time served. Congrats to Mr. Bright and all who worked on this (Dave, Brec Cooke, Allison Muller, Benito Felice)! pic.twitter.com/FZBL1xNgEc
— Price Benowitz LLP (@PriceBenowitz) February 13, 2020
“It would have changed everything about this case,” David Benowitz, an attorney representing Bright, was quoted as saying about not having been aware of the letter previously.
“As Mr. Bright’s original trial counsel testified… had he had that information it would have changed the way he investigated the case, the way he litigated the case,” the lawyer added.
Bright has agreed not to sue the District of Columbia in exchange for his re-sentencing.
He was initially sentenced to 65 years to life imprisonment.