NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In February 1994, a 19-year-old Cyrus Wilson was convicted for the fatal shooting of Christopher Luckett, age 19.
The shooting occurred in the 1400 block of 11th Avenue South in the Edgehill community during a late September night in 1992.
During the time of the trial, two alleged eyewitnesses told prosecutors they saw the shooting but nearly two decades later the same witnesses have recanted their statements.
Rahim Buford, a friend of Wilson, said without DNA or physical evidence, no gun and recanted statements, Wilson, now 43, has maintained his innocence throughout his time spent at Riverbend Maximum Security.
Buford first met Wilson at Riverbend Maximum Security in 2012. Buford was serving a life sentence for a murder but was granted parole on June 25, 2015. Since then he's started the grassroots organization Unheard Voices Outreach which helps incarcerated and formerly incarcerated prisoners.
"I was caged for 26 years of my life. I did something, I changed my life. I have remorse and I'm making a contribution to society. Cyrus is still in prisoner 27 years and I do not believe he did anything," Wilson said.
Wilson is scheduled for a parole hearing on April 17th at 8:00 a.m.
Dawn Deaner is representing Wilson at his parole.
"For him the lawyer that he had at trial was a court appointed lawyer who was suspended from the practice of law just six weeks after Cyrus's trial and was eventually disbarred a few years later. His lawyer in post-conviction has been disbarred," Deaner said. She is the executive director and founder of the Choosing Justice Initiative.
Buford started the Free Cyrus Wilson campaign asking the community to attend the parole hearing and show their support for Wilson.
