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Briana's stepfather, Rand Spragg, said he left the girl playing in the family's front yard and last saw her sitting under a tree. The family later searched for her. She was found in the brothers' home, naked and under bedclothes in a utility room. She died that night at a local hospital. An acquaintance of Davis told police that Davis said he'd killed "a woman" at the home. DNA testing wasn't available in 1980. But in 2004, Davis requested that evidence gathered at the scene of Briana's death be DNA tested. According to the tests, blood and semen found at the scene weren't from Davis. That led to the March appellate court decision. Friday's planned release caught Davis' attorneys off guard. Most were on vacation, expecting that he might be released next week. Royal, who works closely with Davis' lead attorney, Jane Raley, didn't represent him. She wasn't sure what plans Davis had, but she said that after so many years he was fortunate that family members were still alive to greet him and help him acclimate to life outside prison. "A lot of times when people are incarcerated for lengthy periods of time, family members die," Royal said. "That is one good thing, that he will have their support." "I think it's difficult for him to know exactly what to do," she added, noting that the Center on Wrongful Convictions works with the people it helps free to aid in their adjustment. "I know that he's very intelligent and he has been assisting in the preparation of his appeal for years and giving some good suggestions in that regard."
Attempts to reach members of Briana's family were not successful.
[Associated
Press;
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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