Dennis Lee Allen and Stanley Orson Mozee were released last Tuesday after Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins recommended that their murder convictions be overturned. In 2000, Allen and Mozee were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the 1999 robbery and murder of Dallas Reverend Jesse Borns Jr.—despite no physical evidence linking them to the crime.
The Innocence Project and the Innocence Project of Texas advocated for Allen and Mozee’s release based on evidence that reveals serious prosecutorial misconduct, which was discovered in the original prosecutor’s original file under current District Attorney Watkins’ “open file” policy. The prosecutor’s case file comprised of letters from jailhouse informants requesting reduced sentences in exchange for testimony against Allen and Mozee. Watkins and his Conviction Integrity Unit conceded that the former prosecutor withheld exculpatory evidence. “A former prosecutor lied to get these convictions,” said Watkins.
Dallas County District Judge Mark Stoltz recommended that the convictions of Allen and Mozee be overturned after issuing findings of fact and conclusions of law. The two men were released after serving 15 years in prison, although they have not yet been exonerated. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals will now review Judge Stoltz’ findings where they may be officially exonerated.
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