DNA SENDS 23-YR-OLD RAPE CASE UP IN SMOKE
Johnny Briscoe spent 23 years in prison
hell for a rape he didn't commit - before the
state's case finally went up in smoke, thanks
to a cigarette butt.
"It sounds incredible - but it's true," says the
innocent man.
"I lost nearly half my life behind bars until
modern DNA techniques proved that saliva on a
cigarette butt used by a rapist all those years ago
didn't belong to me!"
Briscoe's bizarre story began in 1982, when a
rapist assaulted a woman three times at knifepoint
in a suburban St. Louis apartment - and smoked a
Kool menthol cigarette during his rampage.
It ended in 2006, when officials walked into his
prison and told him: "Mr. Briscoe, pack your stuff.
You're in the wrong place."
Right from the start, Briscoe had maintained
his innocence and refused to accept a plea deal,
which would have given him a maximum of 20
years in prison. Instead, he went to
trial, was found guilty and
ended up with 45 years.
Prosecutors claimed
the rapist told the victim his name was John Briscoe
and that the victim had identified him in a lineup.
"I was the only guy wearing a Halloween orange
jailhouse jumpsuit," said Briscoe. "They just walked
over me."
In prison, he met inmate Steve Toney, who was
prosecuted by the same district attorney. Toney told
him about DNA evidence and its potential to free
the wrongly convicted. Toney was later turned loose
after he proved his innocence through DNA.
Pick up the new issue of The ENQUIRER for more details.
Published on: 04/16/2008
