Attorney looking to overturn Colorado man’s 2012 murder conviction after new DNA evidence
DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) – The attorney for a Colorado man convicted in a 1994 Boulder murder case has filed a motion to have his guilty conviction overturned after new DNA testing supported his claims of innocence, our partners at 9News report.
Michael Clark, who was convicted in 2012 for the murder of Marty Grisham, has declared his innocence for the past 30 years – despite DNA testing connecting him to the crime.
But Adam Frank, Clark's attorney, alleges the DNA evidence that secured Clark's conviction was manipulated by former Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) DNA analyst Missy Woods, according to our Denver affiliates.
Woods is accused of mishandling and manipulating data in over 800 cases over her 29-year career with the CBI. In January, Woods was charged with over 100 cases of purgery, forgery, attempting to influence a public servant and cybercrime.
Her misconduct brought hundreds of cases back into the spotlight – including Clark's. During his initial trial, Woods testified that DNA found on a tube of lip balm didn't rule out Clark.
But according to Frank, a new analysis done on that DNA revealed critical discrepancies between Clark's DNA and the DNA found on scene, our Denver affiliates report.
Frank is now requesting the conviction be rescinded, because it was based on what seems to be false evidence from Woods. Although the new DNA analysis does not completely clear Clark, it opens the door to contesting his original conviction.
A court hearing is now scheduled for Monday.
