MIAMI (WSVN) - A mother is still upset after her son was one of two men wrongly arrested for a double murder, and the family spoke with 7News about the major mistake.
Nineteen-year-old Anthony Clinch was released from jail after officials realized they made an error. Now his family is taking legal action against the police.
His mother, Sharon Dansey, said she knew he was innocent because he was with her shopping at the time of the murder.
“I know he was innocent, he know he was innocent, but they kept pushing the issue saying, ‘He did it, he did it,'” Dansey said.
Dansey said she wants answers from the Miami Police Department after Clinch was arrested for murder and the charges were later dropped.
“This is my baby. I know he wouldn’t kill a fly,” Dansey said. “Tell him to kill a roach, he’d be scared to kill the roach.”
Last week, Miami Police arrested 22-year-old Yaairnes Rashad Bryant and Clinch for the April 8 Liberty City shooting that killed 17-year-old Kimson Green and 18-year-old Rickey Dixon.
“Horrible, ’cause I know I was innocent,” Clinch said.
Dansey said she was shopping with her son at the time the shooting happened. She said she even told detectives that she could prove Clinch was with her.
“They could run the camera back. I don’t care. They could see us in there, but I know I had this receipt because this was the last store we went into,” Dansey said.
She told 7News that she informed police about the receipt and asked them to review surveillance video prior to the news conference where officials announced the arrests.
“Y’all put a picture all over the news,” Dansey said.
Police later reviewed surveillance video which aligned with Dansey’s story. The charges against both teens were then dropped.
7News spoke with Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina on May 7. He said once he learned about the new evidence, he went out and spoke on live television.
“I don’t want a scenario of someone in jail who should not be in jail,” he said.
Pastor Eric Readon with New Beginning Missionary Baptist Church has helped the family get an attorney.
“Unfortunately, it could happen to anybody,” Readon said, “anybody’s family, anybody’s kid, anybody’s child.”
The family said they want to sue the Miami Police Department.
“This error was caught very early, but it wasn’t caught by the police. It was caught by his family,” said attorney Andrew Kassier.
Dansey addressed the family of the two teens who were killed in the Liberty City shooting.
“It wasn’t him. It wasn’t him,” Dansey said, “and I’m sorry that your children got killed, but it wasn’t my son, and I want justice just like you want justice.”
7News reached out to the Miami Police Department. They cannot comment on any pending litigation.
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