HOUSTON -
Michael Green has spent the last 27 years in prison after being convicted on a rape charge. Green's conviction was overturned and a judge ordered that he be released from prison. That was supposed to happen on Thursday morning. For now, he's still in the Harris County Jail.
39 News was in the courtroom for the hearing, which never began.
After the family waited for the hearing to begin, they were told they'll have to wait another day. The reason was because Green was too emotional about being released. His attorney said Green is upset, but despite those emotions one family member said "this is ridiculous" and thought Green should have been released anyway.
"I wish we could just take him in our arms and just rock him like a baby because that's the kind of love that he needs," said Michelle Willis, who is Michael's cousin, hours before receiving the official news.
But that love and support Green's family wanted to share on Thursday has to wait until Friday. After spending 27 years in jail for a rape he didn't commit, the 44-year-old Green was supposed to walk away a free man. However, the attorney representing Green said court officials didn't feel it was appropriate to release him.
"The judge and all of us got together, and the decision was made that he should come back tomorrow when he's had time to compose himself," said Bob Wicoff, an attorney for Green.
"That is pitiful," said Green's aunt, Brenda Murray. "And this court and the judge, and everybody else, should be ashamed of themselves."
Green was the only person convicted of a 1983 crime in the Greenspoint area. That's when three men sexually assaulted a female.
"This was a gross perversion of justice the way this case went down; the way he was arrested," said Wicoff. "And he's a smart guy and he's aware of it."
Hours before the decision was made, Green's older brother, Adrian Taylor, talked about how emotional his younger sibling was.
"As they [court officials] said, you know, he's not ready to come out right now because after he [had] been there for so long he's used to being, you know, with the guys that are already with you," Taylor said.
Thursday's release was supposed to be a step in the process to prove Green was innocent of a 1983 assault he never took part of. Instead, it turns out to be a disaster for his family.
"If he's innocent let him go," Taylor said. "Just let him go. It doesn't make no sense for this system in this country to just hold a man of something he didn't do."
"Hopefully he'll be fine tomorrow. And this was just some sort of venting of some anger that he's held, rightfully for 27 years," said Wicoff.
DNA analysis was developed in 1984 but wasn't used until 1986. According to the Harris County District Attorney's office, a thorough investigation took place which discovered the DNA-laden jeans worn by the victim at the time of the assault. That DNA testing on the jeans cleared Green and pinpointed those responsible for the sexual assault.
However, the statute of limitations has expired on charging those individuals.
Friday's 10 a.m. hearing is expected to lead to the release of Green. The final ruling on Green's innocence will be made by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
39 News was in the courtroom for the hearing, which never began.
After the family waited for the hearing to begin, they were told they'll have to wait another day. The reason was because Green was too emotional about being released. His attorney said Green is upset, but despite those emotions one family member said "this is ridiculous" and thought Green should have been released anyway.
"I wish we could just take him in our arms and just rock him like a baby because that's the kind of love that he needs," said Michelle Willis, who is Michael's cousin, hours before receiving the official news.
But that love and support Green's family wanted to share on Thursday has to wait until Friday. After spending 27 years in jail for a rape he didn't commit, the 44-year-old Green was supposed to walk away a free man. However, the attorney representing Green said court officials didn't feel it was appropriate to release him.
"The judge and all of us got together, and the decision was made that he should come back tomorrow when he's had time to compose himself," said Bob Wicoff, an attorney for Green.
"That is pitiful," said Green's aunt, Brenda Murray. "And this court and the judge, and everybody else, should be ashamed of themselves."
Green was the only person convicted of a 1983 crime in the Greenspoint area. That's when three men sexually assaulted a female.
"This was a gross perversion of justice the way this case went down; the way he was arrested," said Wicoff. "And he's a smart guy and he's aware of it."
Hours before the decision was made, Green's older brother, Adrian Taylor, talked about how emotional his younger sibling was.
"As they [court officials] said, you know, he's not ready to come out right now because after he [had] been there for so long he's used to being, you know, with the guys that are already with you," Taylor said.
Thursday's release was supposed to be a step in the process to prove Green was innocent of a 1983 assault he never took part of. Instead, it turns out to be a disaster for his family.
"If he's innocent let him go," Taylor said. "Just let him go. It doesn't make no sense for this system in this country to just hold a man of something he didn't do."
"Hopefully he'll be fine tomorrow. And this was just some sort of venting of some anger that he's held, rightfully for 27 years," said Wicoff.
DNA analysis was developed in 1984 but wasn't used until 1986. According to the Harris County District Attorney's office, a thorough investigation took place which discovered the DNA-laden jeans worn by the victim at the time of the assault. That DNA testing on the jeans cleared Green and pinpointed those responsible for the sexual assault.
However, the statute of limitations has expired on charging those individuals.
Friday's 10 a.m. hearing is expected to lead to the release of Green. The final ruling on Green's innocence will be made by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
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