New DNA Evidence In Murder Case Involving Former Akron Police Captain

Douglas Prade

Recently, defense attorneys for former Akron Police captain Douglas Prade filed documents in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas requesting the Prade be released from prison following what they contend is exonerating DNA evidence.

The victim, Prade’s ex-wife, Dr. Margo Prade, was found shot to death in 1997. DNA was discovered on the sleeve of Margo Prade’s lab coat where her killer bit through the coat and into her arm before shooting her, however, testing was not advanced enough at the time to determine the source of the DNA.

According to Prade’s attorneys, new testing of the DNA shows that the DNA came from another man and not Prade. Summit County prosecutors have acknowledged the DNA found at the scene does not belong to Prade, but contend that it does not mean Prade is innocent.

Legal documents filed by Prade’s attorneys, recently unsealed by Judge Judy Hunter, requested a hearing to present the new DNA evidence which has been scheduled for Tuesday, August 21, 2012. The documents contend that the bite mark left on Margo Prade’s body was a key element in the trial, but that bite mark evidence is unreliable.

Prade’s situation demonstrates the complexity of the criminal justice system and emphasizes the accused’s need for experienced criminal legal representation. It is entirely possible that Prade was convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and has spent the last twelve years in prison as a result. If you have been arrested for a crime, contact an experienced Criminal Defense Attorney today.