VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- A case against one of the two men charged in the fatal shooting of Norfolk police officer Victor Decker was dropped this morning.
Prosecutors withdrew charges against Kareem Hasson Turner that included second-degree murder, use of a firearm and robbery.
Turner, who was jailed, was to be released from custody. One of his lawyers, Thomas Sheppard, said in court that he has maintained his innocence from the start.
Commonwealth's Attorney Colin Stolle told a judge that one, and possibly two, witnesses had perjured themselves in the case. Stolle said his office learned about that only recently.
Charges still stand against Raymond Lewis Perry, the other man charged in Decker's death. Perry is serving nearly 97 years in prison for other crimes, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for him in the Decker case.
By comparison, Turner had only traffic offenses and minor criminal convictions on his record.
Decker was found dead by the side of the road in October 2010, after attending a fundraiser at the Atlantis Gentlemen's Club on Oceana Boulevard. Perry was arrested in summer 2012, and Turner was arrested in October 2012.
"God knew from day one my son was innocent," Gloria Williams, Turner's mother, said Friday after hearing the case was to be withdrawn. "I'm so happy, I'm so joyful. My heart goes out to the Decker family, and I really hope whoever did this comes forth. I know how it feels to lose a loved one -- it's just sad. But my son's coming home."
Copyright 2014 - The Virginian-Pilot
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
