Case dismissed for Minnesota man who was convicted in 2015 shooting outside of Target Field

Tommy Wiita

[KSTP File Photo]

The Innocence Project of Minnesota announced Wednesday a 32-year-old Minnesota man is now free after serving nearly five years in prison for a 2015 shooting in downtown Minneapolis.

Javon Davis had all charges dismissed by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office. Davis, who grew up in Minneapolis, was convicted in 2015 for a shooting outside of Target Field in the middle of the night on April 12, 2014. No one was killed, but two men were injured in the incident, one of them critically.

The release states there was little evidence to indict Davis. The prosecutor in the case presented as a motive that Davis had a history of conflict with one of the victims.

At the original trial, the victim who had trouble in the past with Davis testified he was certain Davis was not at the scene of the crime and he did not want to send an innocent man to prison. In addition, Davis had an alibi. At the exact moment of the shooting, Davis was about seven miles away from Target Field talking on the phone with his girlfriend. The alibi was supported by cellphone data, tower records and by his girlfriend's testimony. However, much of the critical proof of evidence was not properly presented to the jury by Davis' attorney at his trial, officials at the Innocence Project of Minnesota said.

Earlier this month, a district court judge vacated Davis' convictions because the Innocence Project of Minnesota showed the court that the evidence was mishandled at trial.

His exoneration was made possible through years of work by staff at the Innocence Project of Minnesota, students from the University of Minnesota Law School and pro bono attorney Jon Hopeman.

"We appreciate the professionalism and courtesy shown to us by members of the Hennepin County Attorney's Office during this case," said Jon Hopeman in a statement. "Being wrongfully accused of a crime is a horrific experience. We at the Innocence Project of Minnesota were able to make sure the justice system got it right. We are thrilled that Mr. Davis is home with his family. He wants to resume coaching youth basketball, get a job, and take care of his children – enjoying the daily freedoms that ordinary citizens often take for granted."