Fourth Circuit Affirms Vacation of Wolfe Death Sentence
A federal appeals court has affirmed a lower court's decision to overturn a murder-for-hire conviction.
Justin Michael Wolfe learned Thursday that the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with a lower court ruling that his convictions and sentences related to the death of Daniel Robert Petrole Jr. should not stand, primarily because of the lack of disclosure of exculpatory evidence by the prosecutors.
A Prince William County jury sent Wolfe to death row in 2002 for a murder-for-hire.
Owen Merton Barber IV admitted to killing Petrole in 2001. Barber testified against Wolfe in a 2002 trial, but later recanted his testimony, saying prosecutors and his own defense attorney forced him to testify to escape the death penalty. Barber has stated in federal court that Wolfe had nothing to do with Petrole’s murder.
Patch will update this story with information from the court’s order.
For more on the Justin Wolfe death row case, read:
- Triggerman: Death Row Inmate is Innocent
- Defense Poses Alternate Theories in Petrole Murder
- Judge: Wolfe Trial Filled With Hearsay, Speculation
- Despite Vacated Conviction, Death Row Inmate May Still Serve Decades
- All Convictions Against Wolfe Are Vacated
- Former Officials Back Defense in Justin Wolfe Capital Murder Case
- Fourth Circuit Considers Justin Wolfe Death Row Case
matt y
1:43 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
11 years of providing a killer with a home and food. I guess the example is now set for all you homeless people out there, you should kill someone and blame someone else.
Libby
4:34 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Have you followed this story? He was never even accused of doing the actual murder. (The real killer who did in fact blame someone else got 38 years.)
MindlessMatter
10:30 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Justin Wolfe is INNOCENT. What does homelessness have to do with this article? He didn't blame anyone except the person who committed the murder.
Bless his Mother's heart who worked tirelessly to get the truth out about her sons case!!!
Bloomie
10:45 am on Friday, August 17, 2012
And how about the letter sent by Wolfe to the prosecutor?
Dusty Smith
11:26 am on Friday, August 17, 2012
What letter are you talking about? I'm not aware of the prosecutors producing such a letter.
Bloomie
2:19 pm on Friday, August 17, 2012
I apologize. I was thinking of the Paul Powell murder case where he sent a letter to Ebert detailing the crime after his conviction was overturned.