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Murder counts tossedin yogurt shop slayingsAUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A judge on Wednesday dismissed murder charges against two men awaiting retrial in the 1991 slayings of four teens at an Austin yogurt shop, after prosecutors admitted they weren’t ready to take the case to a jury.Robert Springsteen was sent to death row in 2001 after he was convicted in capital murder slaying of one of the girls. Michael Scott had been convicted in her death previously and sentenced to life in prison.Both convictions were overturned when the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals said Springsteen and Scott were unfairly denied the chance to cross-examine each other. They had implicated each other in statements to investigators.Judge Mike Lynch had ordered Travis County prosecutors to say Wednesday whether they would be ready to proceed to trial by January.With DNA evidence pointing at another possible suspect and a limited ability to use the men’s original statements,District AttorneyRosemary Lehmberg admitted prosecutorsweren’t ready for a trial and moved to dismiss the charges pending further investigation.“Make no mistake, this is a difficult decision for me and one I would rather not make,” Lehmberg said after the hearing.After Judge Mike Lynch ordered the charges dismissed, Springsteen and Scott smiled at each other and silently shook hands. Scott hugged his wife, Jeannine.“This has been a long time coming,” Scott said. “I’m happy to be here.”Amy Ayers, ElizaThomas, 17, and sisters Jennifer and SarahHarbison, ages 17 and 15, were bound, gagged and shot in the head at the “I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt” store where two of the girls worked. The building was then set on fire, and firefighters poured thousands of gallons of water on it before anyone realized there were bodies inside.Springsteen’s attorney, Jim Sawyer, said prosecutors are wasting their time investigating Springsteen and Scott.“I hope and I pray that someday we see a trial of those who are in fact guilty,” Sawyer said.
Newspaper Details
Port Arthur News
Port Arthur, Texas, US
Thu, Oct 29, 2009
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Jared T.
NA, NA 14 Aug 2023
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