Chillicothe Man Walks a Free Man After Overturned Conviction
By: Staff
Updated: February 16, 2013
(CHILLICOTHE, Mo.) It was a walk Mark Woodworth knew he would make some day.
With cheers and applause, the 38 year-old Chillicothe man stepped out of the doors of the Livingston County Jail a free man.
"I knew it would happen," said Mark Woodworth. "it has been a long time waiting for this day."
Outside the jail in Chillicothe, Woodworth's family and friends gathered to see the man who has been in jail for more than two decades.
It was an overwhelming feeling.
"It feel great," said Woodworth. "I'm still trying to soak it in but it's awesome."
Woodworth has been serving jail time since he was convicted for murder in the 1990 shooting of Cathy Robertson.
Robertson was shot at her home in the same area Woodworth lived at the time.
Last month, the Missouri Supreme Court overturned the ruling on Woodworth's conviction stating the prosecuting attorney did not share evidence that could have helped in Woodworth's defense.
Woodworth's lawyer said he was confident his client will not return to prison.
"To me, it shows the system can work," said Robert Ramsey, Woodworth's lawyer.
While celebration filled the area around the Livingston County Jail, it was a different story for the victim's family.
After the Missouri Supreme Court ruling, Robertson's family is confident the decision was right in the first place.
"The evidence is still there and so that's what we're looking forward to getting it all out on court," said Rhonda Oesch, Robertson's daughter. "And so everyone can know for a third time what the evidence is."
After all the celebration at Woodworth's release, he was looking forward to a quiet night at home meeting family members he has not seen since he was a teenager.
"I haven't seen some of the step nieces and nephews or anything like that," said Woodworth.
Woodworth is expected to go to trial a third time for the murder case.
No date has been set on that trial.
With cheers and applause, the 38 year-old Chillicothe man stepped out of the doors of the Livingston County Jail a free man.
"I knew it would happen," said Mark Woodworth. "it has been a long time waiting for this day."
Outside the jail in Chillicothe, Woodworth's family and friends gathered to see the man who has been in jail for more than two decades.
It was an overwhelming feeling.
"It feel great," said Woodworth. "I'm still trying to soak it in but it's awesome."
Woodworth has been serving jail time since he was convicted for murder in the 1990 shooting of Cathy Robertson.
Robertson was shot at her home in the same area Woodworth lived at the time.
Last month, the Missouri Supreme Court overturned the ruling on Woodworth's conviction stating the prosecuting attorney did not share evidence that could have helped in Woodworth's defense.
Woodworth's lawyer said he was confident his client will not return to prison.
"To me, it shows the system can work," said Robert Ramsey, Woodworth's lawyer.
While celebration filled the area around the Livingston County Jail, it was a different story for the victim's family.
After the Missouri Supreme Court ruling, Robertson's family is confident the decision was right in the first place.
"The evidence is still there and so that's what we're looking forward to getting it all out on court," said Rhonda Oesch, Robertson's daughter. "And so everyone can know for a third time what the evidence is."
After all the celebration at Woodworth's release, he was looking forward to a quiet night at home meeting family members he has not seen since he was a teenager.
"I haven't seen some of the step nieces and nephews or anything like that," said Woodworth.
Woodworth is expected to go to trial a third time for the murder case.
No date has been set on that trial.
