NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) —A Nashville man serving a life sentence for a murder he says he didn’t commit has been granted parole.
The Tennessee Board of Parole voted to grant parole to Cyrus Wilson. Wilgon got four out of seven votes at a grant hearing on Oct. 16, in favor of his release.
Wilson had just turned 18 when he was arrested and charged with the first degree murder of Christopher Luckett in the Edgehill neighborhood in September of 1992. He’s 45 now. Throughout that entire time period, he’s maintained his innocence.
His lawyer, Dawn Deaner, says the two witnesses, who were juveniles at the time of Luckett’s death and originally named Wilson as a suspect to police, have since recanted their testimony in court. Deaner says the only connecting factor between Wilson and Luckett was the fact that Luckett stole Wilson’s vehicle just a few weeks before his body was found. She says that’s the motive the prosecution gave for their case against Wilson.
Deaner says the trial lasted less than two days, and there was no physical evidence linking Wilson to the crime.
She also says poor legal representation both during his trial and in his post-trial conviction did not help Wilson’s case.
She says the court-appointed attorney who represented him during his trial was suspended from practice less than six weeks after the trial concluded due to emotional/psychiatric problems. He was disbarred a few years later.
Wilson’s parole conditions include transitional residence in a halfway house, participate in community service work until employed or becoming a full-time student, random drug screens and substance abuse treatment as assessed. He will also be referred to a forensic social worker for family and marriage counseling, and for any transitional needs.
A release date has not been set. He will remain under the supervision of TDOC upon his release.