Nearly 16 years of incarceration overturned by federal judge
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- After nearly 16 years in prison, Steven Lazar of Fox Chase is home Thursday night with his family. Lazar was incarcerated for a murder conviction that was overturned by a federal judge.
"I'm overwhelmed, I'm thankful for my family, my supporters," Steven Lazar said. "I would've died in there if it wasn't for them, for something I had nothing to do with."
The Cardinal Dougherty graduate was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2007 slaying of Dario Gutierrez, a respected community member in Kensington.
In court documents, many of them authored by Lazar himself from inside prison libraries, it was concluded information on other suspects was never turned over to Lazar's defense team.
It's also argued, at the time of his arrest and subsequent hours of questioning, Lazar was suffering from the severe effects of methadone withdrawal.
With the conviction overturned on Thursday morning, prosecutors signaled they would not seek a retrial.
Lazar's family was present in the courtroom.
CBS News Philadelphia was the only TV station with them outside the Criminal Justice Center.
"It's hard to find the words to be honest with you...the emotions myself and my family are feeling right now," Philip Lazar, Steven Lazar's brother, said.
"This is very surreal, and it's just like, I've been praying for this for the past 16, 17 years more than anything," Alison Lazar, Steven Lazar's sister, said.
Court records revealed the possibility two other men were suspects in the 2007 killing.
A Philadelphia Police spokesperson says the department will now consult with prosecutors about current evidence in the case and take any and all necessary steps going forward.
The family of Dario Gutierrez declined to comment through an assistant district attorney.
