Atlanta graduate student released from prison after an overzealous district attorney locked him up almost a year ago, clinging to evidence that would have cleared his name

A Clark Atlanta University graduate accused of shooting one other driver in a hit-and-run crash has been freed after a month in prison.

Superior Court Judge Kimberly Esmond Adams on Monday accused the Fulton County Circuit’s Office of dismissing the case against 32-year-old Ladavious Dashawn McNair, saying prosecutors withheld evidence exonerating the military veteran and college student for almost a year.

“I think this deserves a conversation with the district attorney because I agree with you that it is egregious,” Judge Adams said.

Prosecutors got here before the judge Friday with a motion to dismiss, saying their witness could now not discover McNair.

The shooting occurred in November 2023. The victim told police that he and McNair were involved in a minor accident and after they stopped, McNair got out of the automobile, pistol-whipped him and shot him within the leg.

McNair maintained his innocence from the start, and witnesses confirmed that he was at school when the incident occurred. His professor confirmed this.

After seeing the case on television, the witness contacted McNair’s lawyer, Marsha Mignott, and said he was not the attacker.

Mignott says the victim told her the lead detective wanted McNair to remain the prime suspect. The defense attorney called for “an investigation into all other matters touched by this tainted officer. How many other Ladavious McNairs are sitting on Rice Street? – said Mignot.

After his release on Monday, McNair was in no mood to forgive.

“There’s only a method to fix this. A handshake might not be enough. “An apology or ‘I’m sorry’ may not be enough,” McNair said.

“I experienced a lot of trauma because of this,” he continued. “He experienced things that no one should experience. As a veteran, I served my country and my community, and at that moment I felt like my community had turned its back on me.”

McNair’s family and friends fought hard for his release, taking his case to the media and insisting he was the victim of mistaken identity.

“It is imperative that we raise awareness of the Ladavious case and hold the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office accountable for its inaction,” he added. he wrote brother and friend of the fraternity Reginald Dominique. “Ladavious deserves to be free and we demand that the legal system immediately correct this mistake.”

Atlanta police have previously claimed to have video evidence, even though it was never released and apparently never existed in the primary place.

Last week, the family’s frustration reached its peak.

McNair was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday. Friends and family packed the courtroom only to learn he had been indicted by a grand jury the previous week, delaying the trial.

“We were ready,” Mignott said. “We had witnesses willing to present evidence that he was not the suspect on November 1, 2023.”

McNair’s fiancée, Nyla Thornton, was also within the courtroom Tuesday.

“I have no words,” Thornton said. “It is an injustice to keep an innocent man in prison. It’s unreal, it’s inhumane. “

In a statement last week, the U.S. attorney’s office said it had repeatedly tried to contact him, however the defense attorney didn’t respond to calls or emails.

“This office makes charging decisions based on the facts found in the investigation and applicable law,” wrote spokesman Jeff DiSantis. “We will hear the case in court, not in the media.”

Or in no way, because it seems.