Women's convictions vacated over bogus bite mark evidence.
Eleven years. Visitation allowed twice a month. She only missed visitation three times.
All that changed Thursday.
Lori Herrington won't need to drive to Jackson or Greenville twice monthly to see her twin sister, Leigh Stubbs.
Just two days shy of 11 years in prison, Stubbs, 32, of Collins, and another women, Tammy Vance, 43, of Dry Prong, La., were ordered released on bond by a local judge after he tossed their aggravated assault convictions.
Both women were embraced with tears and hugs Thursday afternoon at the Lincoln County jail after their release. One sentence was quick on their lips: "I'm just in shock."
In between smiles and hugs of disbelief with her family, Stubbs struggled to explain her feelings.
"I'm speechless," she said.
Both women were released late in the afternoon Thursday, about a full day after Judge Michael Taylor ordered their 2001 convictions thrown out. Stubbs, Vance and their families called the hours since then a rollercoaster of emotion and anticipation.
Prosecutors at the original trial relied heavily on the testimony of Dr. Michael West, of Hattiesburg. He testified he could match bite marks on the victim's body to the women on trial and claimed he could enhance a security videotape.
West himself has since said he now doubts the validity of bite mark analysis, and the heart of their February trial was an FBI analysis of the security videotape that partially contradicted West's testimony.
"We're cautiously optimistic," Wade said. "This was a circumstantial case, and that's gone. The West stuff is gone."
http://www.dailyleader.com/news/article_39b7af80-c20c-11e1-81a4-001a4bcf887a.html
60 Minutes bite mark evidence video:
http://cnettv.cnet.com/forensic-evidence/9742-1_53-50109596.html