There is new scrutiny in the murder conviction of Keith Carnes of Kansas City.
“There was only one shell casing on 29th Street and that was found 40 yards west of Prospect,” said Latahra Smith, of the KC Freedom Project.
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Smith, a private investigator and advocate, said she found new witnesses willing to back up Carnes’ innocence claim. He’s serving a life sentence in the 2003 murder of Larry White.
“People don’t talk. They don’t snitch. I understand how some people feel because their family members’ lives can be in jeopardy. Their lives can even be in jeopardy,” Smith said.
In a 111-page report, a Missouri special master said that he believes those witnesses backing up Carnes’ innocence.
Two witnesses, who later recanted their stories, testified they saw Carnes chase the victim to a restaurant parking lot and stand over him with an AK 47-style rifle, firing shots. But the special master found that story didn’t match the physical evidence and found both recantations credible.
The judge also found that police withheld exculpatory evidence.
“That was, like, ‘Yes, Jesus. Yes, I was right. I knew it. I knew it,'” Smith said.
The findings could get Carnes out from behind bars.
The judge wrote that claims of misconduct by the prosecutor were not credible.
The case now goes to the Missouri Supreme Court.
