McGuffin Conviction Overturned, Dec. 3

A judge has overturned the Manslaughter conviction of Nicholas McGuffin, Green Acres, involving the 2000 death of Leah Freeman, Coquille. McGuffin has already served nine of his ten year sentence. The judge ruled that the Oregon State Police Crime Lab failed to disclose a trace amount of DNA from an unknown male found on one of Freeman’s shoes. The State of Oregon can appeal the ruling; however, Coos County District Attorney R. Paul Frasier says a retrial may be too expensive for taxpayers. The Forensic Justice Project led the appeal on McGuffin’s behalf.