Colorado man released from prison after DNA evidence casts doubt on suspect in 1994 murder
A Colorado man convicted of murder over a decade ago in Boulder was released from prison Monday evening after his lawyers say DNA evidence in the case was mishandled by a disgraced crime analyst. Michael Clark went home with his family after 12 years behind bars.
Michael Clark has maintained his innocence in the 1994 murder of Marty Grisham and his attorney says he was convicted due to faulty evidence. That evidence, according to Clark's defense attorney Adam Frank, was handled by Missy Woods, a former DNA analyst with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
"I'm grateful for them, for Amy, for our other daughter, Mikayla, for their love and support over the years," Clark said, surrounded by his family in front of the Boulder County Jail on Monday. "I'm amazed to see this many people here to see this. Thank you for coming, and I'm just so grateful to be here and be with them and move on with our lives."
The murder took place on Nov. 1, 1994 at Grisham's home. Boulder police had long suspected Clark may have been involved in Grisham's death. Back then, police say Clark knew Grisham's daughter, who had previously given Clark access to Grisham's home previously to help take care of Grisham's cat. Police say Clark also stole Grisham's check and forged nearly $4,500 from Grisham's account prior to the murder.
In 2012, Boulder police arrested Clark after DNA evidence on a Carmex lip balm found outside Grisham's apartment linked Clark to the scene of the crime. He was convicted for first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole, but after CBI found issues with a large number of cases handled by Woods -- including Clark's -- his attorneys asked prosecutors to revisit the case.
On Friday, Clark's conviction was vacated and Monday night, he walked out of the Boulder County Jail and went home with his family.
"The next step is for Mike to go home and sleep in his bed," his attorney said on Monday. "Everything else is secondary to that. We will handle everything else as it comes, but I think the most important thing is this has been 12 and 1/2 years coming. We have been waiting for this. Mike has been waiting for this, and he is such a good man, he is such a good father, and this is the happy day that we've been waiting for for so long."
In January, Woods was charged with over 100 cases of forgery, purgery, attempting to influence a public servant and cybercrime, casting doubt on many cases in which she was involved. Clark's conviction is the first to be vacated in connection with DNA handled by Woods. CBI says about 1,000 cases she handled out of 10,000 in her 29-year career have "irregularities" and are now compromised.
Clark remains charged with murder but has been released on bond and now prosecutors in Boulder will determine if the evidence they have supports retrying the case. The next court date in the case is June 6.
"The duty of a prosecutor is to do justice. After the misconduct of the state's DNA lab analyst was communicated to our office, we requested a re-test of an important piece of evidence. Based on those results, as well as the significant claims of juror misconduct and ineffective assistance of counsel, our office determined that the conviction must be vacated," Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said on Friday. "It is the right thing to do, after considering all three issues. In light of the charges in this case, we will carefully and thoroughly analyze all the evidence to determine the right and just outcome."
When asked what he's going to do first now that he's out, Clark said, "whatever they want to do. Whatever they want to do with me is what I'm going to be doing."
