A man who spent two decades in prison for a crime he didn't commit has finally been set free, thanks to his twin brother's confession.
Kevin Dugar, a guy from Chicago, endured nearly 20 years behind bars for a 2003 murder. Last week, he walked out of Cook County Jail in Chicago, Illinois, following a stunning admission by his identical twin brother, Karl Smith. This emotional reunion became a major turning point in a case full of twists and turns.
Kevin, visibly overwhelmed by his newfound freedom, couldn't hold back tears as he reunited with his loved ones.
His lawyer, Ronald Safer, shared this heartwarming moment, saying, "The judge allowed his release pending trial on a signature bond. He stepped out into the open air and took his first breaths as a free man in nearly two decades. It was touching to see tears rolling down his and their faces, although they froze on their cheeks because it was about 7 degrees below zero."
Kevin's nightmare started in 2003 when he got convicted of a murder that happened in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. In this tragic incident, a shooter opened fire, resulting in the death of Antwan Carter and the injury of Ronnie Bolden, a rival gang member. Kevin was found guilty in 2005 and given a 54-year prison sentence.
Throughout his time behind bars, he consistently maintained his innocence.
However, Kevin's life took an unexpected turn when his identical twin brother, Karl Smith, made a shocking confession in 2013, nearly a decade after Kevin's conviction. Initially, Smith's admission didn't have much impact on the case.
In 2018, a judge deemed Smith's confession unreliable and denied Kevin a new trial. During that time, Smith was serving a 99-year sentence for a separate home invasion that left a child with a gunshot wound. Prosecutors raised doubts about the timing of his confession, suggesting it was a ploy to gain sympathy after losing his own appeal.
Despite these setbacks, Kevin Dugar's case was taken up by a lawyer from the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law’s Center on Wrongful Convictions. Recently, the judge granted his release pending a new trial, giving him a fresh chance to prove his innocence.
Ronald Safer, Kevin's lawyer, expressed optimism that further legal proceedings might not be necessary. He stated, "We hope the (Cook County) state’s attorney will drop the case against Kevin because he’s innocent. It's crystal clear that he's innocent. But if they persist, we'll go to trial and vindicate him there."
While Kevin Dugar's release is a cause for celebration, the challenges he faces as he reintegrates into society after wrongful imprisonment for so long should not be underestimated. Safer added, "You'd think it's all pure joy, but the adjustment, the scars inflicted by wrongful incarceration, run deep and last a lifetime. Especially in the early days, it's incredibly challenging."
In another development, a convicted rapist reportedly brutally attacked his ex-wife, Asel Nogoibaeva, in front of their terrified ten-year-old son, leaving her severely injured. See detailed story here
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