The Case
On June 21st, 2001, Danny Holloway went to a neighborhood bar in Paris, TX with his girlfriend. Upon pulling his car in, there was an immediate verbal altercation that was started by another man. Several men surrounded Danny and began punching and kicking him when he fell to the ground. A large crowd gathered around the fighting, including the victim, Ashley Leigh. While on the ground, Danny pulled a pocket knife from his pocket and started slashing at his assailants. He and his girlfriend jumped back into his car, and she drove them to the hospital. During the fight, Ashley Leigh had staggered out of the crowd, bleeding profusely before collapsing and dying. Police responded to the hospital where Danny had gone, and found a large knife wrapped in a washcloth in Danny's car. He was subsequently charged and convicted of murder, and sentenced to life in prison. He has been incarcerated seventeen years.
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PROOF OF INNOCENCE
- Danny had no record of violence
- Danny weighed approximately 140 pounds
- There were at least three large (over 200 lb) men assaulting Danny
- Witnesses said that Ashley Leigh was also attempting to strike Danny with beer bottles
- Witnesses confirm that this was the type of knife Danny pulled from his pocket that night
- The autopsy revealed that Ashley Leigh had been killed with a knife with a serrated edge
- Danny's knife did not have a serrated edge
- The autopsy documented a stab wound that was 4.5" deep
- Danny's pocket knife was a folding knife with a 3.5" blade
- The autopsy showed that Ashley Leigh was stabbed from above her clavicle, penetrating down into her chest
- Danny was lying on his back on the ground being punched and kicked, and could not possibly have struck the victim in this manner
- The knife found in Danny's car matched this weapon description, but had no DNA on it at all
- It was wrapped in a clean washcloth that also had no DNA on it
- Another person had been asked to leave the bar earlier that night after threatening another patron with a similar knife
- Witnesses state that this person was in the middle of the fight as well, and was seen stabbing downwards with a large, serrated knife
- After Ashley Leigh was stabbed, this suspect ran away
- Investigators failed to answer how the knife and washcloth could have had all DNA removed
- Danny did not have time on the way to the hospital to stop and clean the knife, or find a clean washcloth to wrap it in
- Several members of the group involved in the fight followed Danny to the hospital
- Since they had broken out the windows of his car, it would have been simple to place the knife in the front seat
- Police searched Danny's car, but failed to find the pocketknife he had actually used, which had fallen between the passenger seat and console
- Danny admitted to stabbing one of his assailants and slashing another, both men
- Forensic testing on the pocketknife has detected traces of blood from two men
- Danny was twice found factually innocent and released from prison, but returned to prison both times on appeal by a relentless prosecutor
- Danny weighed approximately 140 pounds
- There were at least three large (over 200 lb) men assaulting Danny
- Witnesses said that Ashley Leigh was also attempting to strike Danny with beer bottles
- Witnesses confirm that this was the type of knife Danny pulled from his pocket that night
- The autopsy revealed that Ashley Leigh had been killed with a knife with a serrated edge
- Danny's knife did not have a serrated edge
- The autopsy documented a stab wound that was 4.5" deep
- Danny's pocket knife was a folding knife with a 3.5" blade
- The autopsy showed that Ashley Leigh was stabbed from above her clavicle, penetrating down into her chest
- Danny was lying on his back on the ground being punched and kicked, and could not possibly have struck the victim in this manner
- The knife found in Danny's car matched this weapon description, but had no DNA on it at all
- It was wrapped in a clean washcloth that also had no DNA on it
- Another person had been asked to leave the bar earlier that night after threatening another patron with a similar knife
- Witnesses state that this person was in the middle of the fight as well, and was seen stabbing downwards with a large, serrated knife
- After Ashley Leigh was stabbed, this suspect ran away
- Investigators failed to answer how the knife and washcloth could have had all DNA removed
- Danny did not have time on the way to the hospital to stop and clean the knife, or find a clean washcloth to wrap it in
- Several members of the group involved in the fight followed Danny to the hospital
- Since they had broken out the windows of his car, it would have been simple to place the knife in the front seat
- Police searched Danny's car, but failed to find the pocketknife he had actually used, which had fallen between the passenger seat and console
- Danny admitted to stabbing one of his assailants and slashing another, both men
- Forensic testing on the pocketknife has detected traces of blood from two men
- Danny was twice found factually innocent and released from prison, but returned to prison both times on appeal by a relentless prosecutor
STATUS |
Danny is currently not represented by an attorney. We are working to secure good representation, in order to request a hearing regarding this new evidence.
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