A man released from the Tulsa County Jail this week after being behind bars for more than a year spoke publicly about the crime he says he didn’t commit.
Keaundrey Carter said he felt as though his civil rights were violated in the past year after being accused of robbery with a firearm in September of 2015. Authorities claimed Carter threatened a man and a woman at gunpoint, then stole a cell phone from them.
"What went through my mind was why would I steal a cell phone, period," said Carter. "Why would I go change my tire if I just finished robbing these people?"
The District Attorney's office said it was ready to take the case to trial with enough evidence against Carter. The victim in the case, however, said he couldn't appear at the jury trial due to his work schedule.
The prosecutors asked the judge to reschedule the jury trial so the victim would be free to testify but a judge denied that motion. Now, the Tulsa County District Attorney’s office said they cannot proceed to trial without victim testimony.
On Tuesday afternoon, the charges were dismissed against the 20-year-old from Nowata. The state dismissed the charges "without prejudice," which means Carter could be charged in the future.
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