FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Attempted murder charges have been dropped against a Broward County bailiff who had been accused of attacking a Miami prostitute back in February.
The 45-year-old bailiff Kendrick Busby had the charges dropped last week after his lawyers were able to prove that he was not the person seen on surveillance footage.
According to Miami-Dade Police, 45-year-old Kendrick Busby met a prostitute at a Valero gas station on Feb. 21, in Northwest Miami-Dade. After agreeing on a price with the woman, she allegedly got into his car. After they drove, instead of pulling out his wallet, Busby allegedly pulled out a knife.
It was then alleged that the bailiff went on to stab her in the back and, according to police, force the victim to perform a sex act. The woman escaped and drove herself to a nearby hospital.
Police said the woman gave them a partial tag number that matched Busby’s red Ford Expedition. Police also said a red SUV was spotted on the gas station’s surveillance camera, but Busby’s attorney said the car in the surveillance footage had a gray trim, while Busby’s has a beige trim.
Investigators also found blood in Busby’s car, which came back negative.
“They didn’t run his SunPass, his phone records. They didn’t do the basic investigation that would have shown that Mr. Busby was not there,” Elias Hilal said. “None of that was done.”
Hilal said police failed to talk to Busby’s wife, Octavia, who said she was with him at the time of the alleged incident. When asked whether she doubted her husband’s innocence, Octavia said no.
“Never doubted him. He was with me that night, but I would never doubt him anyway with something like that,” Octavia Busby said. “Because that’s not his character.”
Police did not comment on the case.
Busby, who has served as a bailiff for nine years, was accused of rape and attempted murder but was released on bond back in March.
Busby spoke out, Monday, in light of the dropped charges. “Words can’t express – I never knew the shame, humiliation you go through sitting on the other side,” said Busby. “Especially for something you didn’t do. It totally affected me mentally. My wife tells me sometimes how, when I’m sleeping, I scream out because of nightmares. It affected me totally. It did a great bodily harm to me.”
The youth football coach said people in his community now view him differently, despite his innocence.
“I coached football for 15 years. I got parents now saying, ‘That guy coach my son?'” Busby said. “They looking at me a whole different way.”
Busby has been out of work since he was arrested, but the BSO said they are now working to reinstate him into work.
Busby’s attorney warned that the attacker is still out there.
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