A jury convicted Toforest Johnson in 1998 of the murder of off-duty Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy William Hardy in 1995. Major questions have been raised about the credibility of a witness at the center of his case. (Alabama Department of Corrections)
Attorneys for Alabama death row inmate Toforest Johnson filed a petition in Jefferson County Circuit Court Thursday seeking a new hearing on his death sentence, citing concerns raised by the local district attorney.
A jury convicted Johnson in 1998 of the 1995 murder of off-duty Jefferson County Deputy William Hardy while he was moonlighting as a security guard at a hotel.
Johnson has always maintained his innocence. No physical evidence links him to the crime, and the testimony of two witnesses critical to his conviction has been called into question. Jeff Wallace, who led the prosecution of Johnson, has called for a new trial.
“This feels different,” said Shanaye Poole, Johnson’s daughter. “I think it is just the outpouring of support that we have received, not only from the community, but also from the district attorney. We are just extremely grateful that the DA has conducted a full review of the case.”