BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — After 23 years in custody, a judge just set aside the verdict and sentence in the second-degree murder conviction that sent 63-year-old Jeffrey Abramowski to prison for life.
State Attorney William Scheiner did not oppose the motion.
He said in court today, “Nothing would be worse than convicting the wrong person. Nothing would be worse for family than to have the murderer of their loved one out free and the wrong person behind bars. In 2006, Abramowski was found guilty of the May 19, 2002, murder of a friend, Cortney Crandall. The elderly man was bludgeoned to death.”
His granddaughter asked the judge not to release Abramowski as he awaits a new trial.
Ambramowski’s attorney discovered evidence that called his original conviction into question.
Private DNA testing on the suspected murder weapons revealed two unknown profiles.
One of those profiles excluded Abramowski.
However, prosecutors say the defendant’s DNA was found under the fingernails of the victim’s right hand.
Abramowski remains charged with second-degree murder.
The court has not found that the new DNA exonerates the defendant.
The state attorney’s office will prepare for trial, but may extend a plea offer.
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