Man who spent 30 years in prison for double murder he didn’t commit freed

An attorney with Innocence Project New Orleans, Charell Arnold, said a single juror’s vote prevented Larry Moses from being sentenced to death for a double murder he did not commit. Arnold also claimed the New Orleans man wasn’t even in town at the time of the fatal incident, WWL-TV reported.

Moses, who ultimately received a life sentence for the 1994 shooting, ended up spending 30 years in prison before he was recently freed. “It’s unbelievable you know from the dungeon to back to life again,” said Moses. “I really thought I was gonna die in jail.”

Moses, now 68, also spoke about how he managed to cope during his incarceration. “Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, you say oh well ain’t much I could do about it, but get stronger, because if I give up and feel sorry for myself I’m gonna disappear,” he said. “Don’t stop fighting you know? And that’s what I did,” he added.

The Black man’s conviction came after he was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. Innocence Project New Orleans said the 1994 fatal shooting happened after a suspect opened fire on two people during a robbery attempt. However, Arnold said Moses is innocent of the crime, adding that the Black man “has provided evidence of his innocence.”

The attorney stated that investigations by Innocence Project New Orleans determined the state did not make the defense aware of evidence that was gathered in the case. He also claimed Moses was convicted because of false testimony. 

“In this case… the sole eyewitness or a man who claimed to be an eyewitness, both had motivation to lie, and to implicate Mr. Moses over a romantic rivalry, and that this eyewitness actually had pretty severe mental health problems and was committed and underwent a psychiatric evaluation,” Arnold said. 

Though Moses became a free man after a judge vacated the initial trial’s outcome and granted him post-conviction relief, he could still be heading back to court, WWL-TV reported. “The charges were not dropped by the district attorney’s office… he’s been granted a new trial, that means he’s actually he could actually have a new trial,” Arnold said.

Moses is, however, relishing his freedom. “This is the most wonderful day. Right now being free, me talking to you… it’s real good, really feel good feeling,” he said.