A man who was freed from prison in 2021 after more than three decades has now been ordered to return in order to continue serving his life sentence.
On September 5, 1990, Crosley Green was found guilty and sentenced to death for the first-degree murder of Charles "Chip" Flynn, who was fatally shot in Mims, Florida the year prior.
According to Green's legal team, however, there is no clear evidence that connects their client - now aged 65 - to the homicide. In addition to this, prosecution witnesses have withdrawn their testimonies since Green was convicted.
Per CNN, the Florida man's guilty verdict was overturned by a federal court in Orlando in 2018 and three years later, he was allowed to leave prison on conditional release.
The state of Florida appealed this decision and won last year - as such, Green's conviction and life sentence were reinstated.
Amid the successful appeal, US District Judge Roy Dalton ruled this week that Green must turn himself in by April 17 to complete his life sentence.
The 65-year-old has been afforded few options including clemency or parole, his attorneys say.
"We are in strategy mode right now, with respect to parole and clemency," Green’s lawyer, Jeane Thomas, told CNN on Thursday. "There is a commission within the state of Florida that considers both options. In the case of parole, they make a decision. In the case of clemency, they make a recommendation to the governor."
Thomas explained to the outlet the clemency is different to exoneration. Clemency refers to the decision by a judge that a convict has served sufficient time in prison and has earned the right to be released.
For the last couple of years, Green has been employed at a machine grafting facility, attended church and spent time with his grandchildren. He has continued to wear his ankle monitor and has been "a model citizen," Thomas says.
"For 15 years now, we have believed wholeheartedly, 100 percent in the innocence of our client," Thomas said. "As lawyers, we have to believe that the justice system will get it right. We’re going to keep fighting. This is a grave injustice. And we just believe that eventually we will get it right."
Green was found guilty in connection with the murder of 21-year-old Charles Flynn. He was sentenced to death initially, then in 2009 resentenced to life in prison.
He will keep fighting to clear his name, saying in a statement through his legal team: "If it wasn’t for the Lord, I’d be down and out right now. I have so much faith and trust and belief, it’s hard for me to let my guard down."
