The three Alaska Native men and an American Indian had maintained
their innocence in the 1997 beating death of Fairbanks teenager John
Hartman, with Alaska Native leaders saying the convictions were
racially motivated.
Alaska Governor Bill Walker said on his official Twitter feed that
he was pleased the Alaska Department of Law and the men's attorneys
had agreed to a deal that effectively tossed out the men's
convictions.
"I hope this settlement helps begin the healing process and provides
some measure of justice and closure," he said.
The men, known at the Fairbanks Four, were to be greeted on Thursday
with a celebration at the local David Salmon Tribal Hall, the
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported.
One of the four, Marvin Roberts, was released on parole this year.
The other three, George Frese, Kevin Pease and Eugene Vent, have
been imprisoned since their arrests in 1997 and were expected to be
freed on Thursday.
Under terms of the settlement, the men agreed to withdraw their
claim of prosecutorial misconduct and the state agreed not to retry
them in connection with the crime, the Daily News-Miner reported.
Hartman, 15, was beaten on a Fairbanks street in October, 1997, and
died a day later, according to a court record. Prosecutors said a
group of young men had been prowling the streets, robbing a man
before randomly attacking Hartman.
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State prosecutors have maintained the convictions were properly
obtained.
"What has been revealed is that there is new evidence submitted that
suggests if they were tried again today, it would be more difficult
to convict them," the Department of Law said in a statement.
Hartman's older brother, Chris Kelly, told the court on Thursday he
opposed the settlement.
"If they are guilty, how can you justify making this deal?," he
asked the court, according to NBC affiliate KTUU-TV.
(Reporting by Victoria Cavaliere; Editing by Robert Birsel)
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