DNA evidence clears man accused of attacking Santa Monica College student

Los Angeles County prosecutors dropped sexual assault and other charges Monday against a 40-year-old man who sat in jail for nearly six months accused of attacking a Santa Monica College student on campus.

Prosecutors said they have no plans to refile charges against Chase Guy Reynolds in the alleged attack. Reynolds’ attorney said he intends to ask a judge to find his client factually innocent at a later hearing.

Reynolds was released from jail nearly two weeks ago when tests showed that DNA evidence taken from the alleged victim did not belong to him.

During his incarceration, Reynolds was attacked in jail and suffered injuries to his chin, jaw, nose, ribs and the back of his head, court records show.

-- Jack Leonard

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Comments

[Ronald E. Langford]

So much for American jurisprudence. As Associate Justice Clarence Thomas once stated in defense in our criminal justice failings, he must have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, a place where any of us, or our children, could find themselves.

[jerry]

that's what happens to sex offenders in jail...the Homies take care of them...ONLY IN SOUTHERN CAL JAILS AND PRISONS

too bad he was actually innocent.. i feel sorry for him more than i do for the SMC student

[gab]

Perhaps the writer could have touched on why he was in jail and not out on bail. Could he not make bail? Was bail set too high? Was there no bail set?

[Jeff Vachon]

Surely it should not have taken 6 months to test the DNA! That procedure only takes a couple of weeks! Why was an innocent man allowed to be tortured and fester in jail when the evidence would have quickly exonerated him?

[Ambergris]

People who spend such extended time in jail who are later proven innocent of charges should receive some serious compensation for having had to endure the experience.

This guy's likely lost friends, work, living place, etc.

Who's going to make that right for him?

[JIm]

Six month jail sentence for being innocent. So nice to know the justice system works!!!!

[Jason]

Why was his name made public before the DNA evidence came in and he was convicted of a crime? The SMC victim remains anonymous while this guy gets stomped by other "higher caliber" criminals?! If you make the victim anonymous, you make the "accused" anonymous until proven guilty by a court of law. I hope this guys sues the crap out of the city and gets enough money to fix his face and get his life back in order.

[EDD STACK]

My advise?.Sue the living daylights out of the city.Then against the individuals who harmed you in jail and include a lawsuit against the corrections facility as well for neglegence. and then sue the arresting officers for false arrest and imprisonment. file formal complaints on every on everyone of these idiots that almost got you killed.get a really good Lawyer that will enable you to sue every single person from beggining of arrest to release and sue them all the way down to a individual level until they all have no careers in law. dont just take it out on the tax payers. take it to a personal level and bankrupt them all! they deserve nothing less.

[Dustin]

It's a race thing. The alleged victim is black. The reverse racists at SMPD tried as hard as possible to convict him even though evidence pionted the other way.He was picked out by a friend of the accuser; who then persuaded the accuser to pick him out in a one person line up. Charges should be brought against the SMPD who avoided turning over crucial evidence. It's the Duke Lacrosse team all over again. SMPD is full of Mike Nifong's. Theres no accountabilty in the SMPD.