In 2010, Lydell Grant was convicted of first-degree murder for fatally stabbing a man outside of a bar in Houston, Texas. He was sentenced to life in prison.
False Identification
Shortly after the stabbing, an employee of the bar called Crime Stoppers. He was convinced that he saw a man that looked like the attacker. He wrote down the VIN number on the man's car and gave it to the police. It was Lydell Grant's vehicle. Other employees and customers also identified Grant as the attacker from a set of photos provided by police. Law enforcement later discovered that Grant had a warrant out for his arrest. There were also several suspicious items found in his trunk, including a ski mask and a knife.
According to Texas Monthly:
"Grant swore he was innocent. 'We have six eyewitnesses that can positively identify you as the killer,' Grant remembers a detective telling him. 'I don't care if you have six hundred witnesses,' he responded. 'I didn't kill him.'"
Those six eyewitnesses testified against Grant in court, and he was convicted in 2012 for merely "looking like" the attacker. A Houston police crime lab DNA analyst even stated that the DNA from the victim's fingernail scrapings had no clear link to Lydell Grant. "I could not make a conclusion," she said.
Help From the Outside
Two years after the trial, Grant filed an appeal. His conviction was upheld, and his life sentence remained. In 2018, the Innocence Project of Texas (IPTX) stepped in, along with students at Texas A&M School of Law Actual Innocence Clinic. They acquired the DNA case file and began their review.
Unidentified DNA
After further testing, Grant's DNA was not at all found in the raw data files, but there was DNA found of an unidentified individual. An FBI database search found that "the unidentified DNA profile from the fingernail scrapings was similar to the DNA profile of 41-year-old Jermarico Carter," according to the IPTX. Carter had apparently been in Houston during the time of the attack and was also arrested the year prior for a crime that took place close to the bar.
With the help of Grant's defense team, including IPTX's executive director Mike Ware, Grant was released on bond on November 26, 2019 after more than seven years in prison. Carter was later apprehended and confessed to the stabbing.
Recounting Initial Testimonies
As for the eyewitness testimonies, it was later discovered that one of the employees - Andrew Vu, a bouncer at the club - had stated to the police that he hadn't seen the attacker. But as the police presented him with their of photos, he was put in an uncomfortable situation.
"I told them I didn't see the guy, but they said to look again, because he was in there and three other people had already picked him." Vu also stated that he picked Grant even though he wasn't convinced he was the attacker. "Because my co-workers believed it was Mr. Grant, I thought I was the one making a mistake."
Lydell Grant's conviction is yet another example of how faulty witness testimonies, lack of DNA evidence, and racial profiling can lead to the wrongful conviction of innocent men and women. We are blessed to have organizations like the Innocence Project of Texas in existence and actively pursuing cases like that of Lydell Grant.
Shortly after the stabbing, an employee of the bar called Crime Stoppers. He was convinced that he saw a man that looked like the attacker. He wrote down the VIN number on the man's car and gave it to the police. It was Lydell Grant's vehicle. Other employees and customers also identified Grant as the attacker from a set of photos provided by police. Law enforcement later discovered that Grant had a warrant out for his arrest. There were also several suspicious items found in his trunk, including a ski mask and a knife.
According to Texas Monthly:
"Grant swore he was innocent. 'We have six eyewitnesses that can positively identify you as the killer,' Grant remembers a detective telling him. 'I don't care if you have six hundred witnesses,' he responded. 'I didn't kill him.'"
Those six eyewitnesses testified against Grant in court, and he was convicted in 2012 for merely "looking like" the attacker. A Houston police crime lab DNA analyst even stated that the DNA from the victim's fingernail scrapings had no clear link to Lydell Grant. "I could not make a conclusion," she said.
Help From the Outside
Two years after the trial, Grant filed an appeal. His conviction was upheld, and his life sentence remained. In 2018, the Innocence Project of Texas (IPTX) stepped in, along with students at Texas A&M School of Law Actual Innocence Clinic. They acquired the DNA case file and began their review.
Unidentified DNA
After further testing, Grant's DNA was not at all found in the raw data files, but there was DNA found of an unidentified individual. An FBI database search found that "the unidentified DNA profile from the fingernail scrapings was similar to the DNA profile of 41-year-old Jermarico Carter," according to the IPTX. Carter had apparently been in Houston during the time of the attack and was also arrested the year prior for a crime that took place close to the bar.
With the help of Grant's defense team, including IPTX's executive director Mike Ware, Grant was released on bond on November 26, 2019 after more than seven years in prison. Carter was later apprehended and confessed to the stabbing.
Recounting Initial Testimonies
As for the eyewitness testimonies, it was later discovered that one of the employees - Andrew Vu, a bouncer at the club - had stated to the police that he hadn't seen the attacker. But as the police presented him with their of photos, he was put in an uncomfortable situation.
"I told them I didn't see the guy, but they said to look again, because he was in there and three other people had already picked him." Vu also stated that he picked Grant even though he wasn't convinced he was the attacker. "Because my co-workers believed it was Mr. Grant, I thought I was the one making a mistake."
Lydell Grant's conviction is yet another example of how faulty witness testimonies, lack of DNA evidence, and racial profiling can lead to the wrongful conviction of innocent men and women. We are blessed to have organizations like the Innocence Project of Texas in existence and actively pursuing cases like that of Lydell Grant.
Attorney Jeff Brown Has Your Back, Always
If you have been wrongfully accused of a criminal act - whether it be theft, DWI, drug possession, or assault - call Jeff Brown today. As your advocate, he is determined to investigate, dig through every piece of evidence, and construct a case based on the facts.
If you have been wrongfully accused of a criminal act - whether it be theft, DWI, drug possession, or assault - call Jeff Brown today. As your advocate, he is determined to investigate, dig through every piece of evidence, and construct a case based on the facts.