(WSVN) - Fifty-one years ago he admitted to raping and killing his brother. For 51 years, he waited to one day see the accused killer and finally he got to face him in a Broward courtroom, and 7News investigative reporter Patrick Fraser was there to see it all.
Calvin McNeil walked into the courtroom to see a man he had waited 51 years to face…
The sight overwhelmed him.
Calvin McNeil, brother murdered: “I can’t explain it. Oh my goodness, oh my goodness. You have no idea.”
In the Broward courtroom was 67-year-old Leon Holston — nearly blind and shackled, sitting in a wheelchair.
Calvin McNeil: “I just can’t find the words to say … and what I got to say, it’s not nice.”
In 1966, Holston admitted to killing Calvin’s 13-year-old brother Tally. As Calvin stared, it reminded me why they say “if looks could kill.”
Calvin McNeil: “I always wondered what he would look like and how I would feel if I see him. To tell you the truth, growing up, I always did have this hatred for him.”
Back in 1966, the 14-year-old Holston was convicted of raping and killing a 5-year-old boy. After a few months, he was released from a reform school — newspapers said — because he made good progress.
Then he came back to Pompano Beach and in a two-week span admitted to murdering three more kids, including raping Calvin’s brother after he had killed him.
Calvin McNeil: “After my brother was dead, he went back to him and back to his corpse time and time again.”
The death devastated the McNeil family then and now.
Joanne McNeil Parrish, brother murdered: “The family is just not right without him.”
Queen Esther McNeil, son murdered: “I dream about him. I think about him often.”
And then, this year, the family found out Holston was being transferred from state prison to a Broward Jail to ask Judge Raag Singhall to release the 67-year-old from prison.
Rachel Newman, Holston’s attorney: “He’s also blind, which is a factor that needs to be considered.”
Calvin sat on the edge of his seat the entire time. Stood to hear the attorneys better … furious Holston was in a courtroom where he one day hopes to hear the words, “You are free to go.”
Calvin McNeil: “How would you feel? And to see him now, talking about letting him go. Patrick, you have no idea. You have no idea.”
This was only a preliminary hearing. The decision on whether or not to release Holston will come later…
And the sight of this man ripped open another wound for the McNeil family because even though Holston was charged with killing Calvin’s brother in 1966, for a reason we don’t know today, he was never tried for murdering Tally McNeil…
Calvin McNeil: “And my brother, nobody talking about him. It’s like he is nothing, he doesn’t matter. Not to nobody but the family. What kind of justice is that?”
Calvin walked out of the courtroom in disgust. Finally seeing the man who admitted to raping and killing your brother brings no satisfaction, no matter how long you wait.
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