Harnett County man's 25-year prison stay ends after new analysis comes to light
Quincy Amerson is a free man on Thursday. His release came nearly a month after he was exonerated, an effort led by Duke's Wrongful Convictions Clinic. He was convicted in 2001 of murdering Sharita Rivera.
Posted — UpdatedNow that conviction has been overturned, showing the child was struck by several cars that night.
"I've really just been hanging out with the family, just taking it all in," said Amerson. "Me and my father have been riding all morning, all morning, just messing around."
"Seems like forever ago," Amerson said.
Amerson's attorneys hired a crash reconstruction expert to review the original report and determined that it was wrong. A state expert reviewed that new report and agreed that the original report was incorrect.
That expert said the initial crash reconstruction reached far-fetched conclusions, based on speculation and "junk science," according to an expert hired to reevaluate the case.
Amerson said he maintained a sense of hope during his two-plus decades in prison.
"I was always optimistic," Amerson said. "I never gave up hope. Like I said I had loved ones who were along for the whole ride. You know friends and family, whatever. I found myself reading a little bit, writing, reaching out. I'm trying to get out. I'm trying to find people to help me. Anything to keep my mind off of that situation."
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