A court has overturned a conviction of a man who has served 16 years in jail, after fresh DNA evidence exonerated him from the crimes.
Luis Lorenzo Vargas was convicted of three sexual assaults in 1999 – and was handed down a 55-year sentence for his crimes.
Upon sentencing, his lawyer told the court that his client was greatly concerned that the real criminal was still at large.
According to the The Telegraph, Vargas started crying in court as the judge cleared him of his convictions.
The 46-year old then turned to his mother sitting in the gallery, mouthing “I love you.”
Judge William Ryan was forced to overturn the convictions after prosecutors said they no longer had confidence in the cases following fresh DNA evidence.
The prosecution has since argued that the assaults were likely carried out by one man, known as the ‘teardrop rapist’ – an unidentified rapist who attacked around 39 women at knife-point over the past 20 years.
Mr. Vargas was originally pinpointed as the target after he fit a composite sketch compiled from the victims’ description. All three later identified him as the attacker, although prosecution argued that Vargas was under suspicion as he has a faded teardrop tattoo underneath one eye, “which he got at age 13 to “fit in” with youths in his neighbourhood.”
While the youngest victim of the crimes recently told court officials she stood by her identification, prosecutors said she had “honestly but mistakenly” identified Mr Vargas as her attacker.
Mr. Vargas was finally freed after he successfully petitioned California’s Supreme Court for a DNA examination of the denim shorts and underwear of one of the victims.
Results pointed to DNA of the ‘teardrop rapist’ being held on file since 2003.
Lead Image: Los Angeles Times
