February 7, 2012

Lawyers say they have DNA evidence that will exonerate a man in a 1978 rape in Williamsburg.

Bennett S. Barbour of rural Charles City County served more than four years before being released on parole. He's now 56 and wants his name cleared. When Barbour was convicted, DNA testing was unavailable.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports tests conducted in 2010 identified the DNA of a known offender in biological evidence taken from the scene. The tests failed to find Barbour's DNA.

Matthew Engle is the legal director of the Innocence Project Clinic at the University of Virginia's law school. He plans to petition the Virginia Supreme Court on Barbour's behalf.

Barbour says he lost his wife over the case. He says he's "very stunned and relieved" over the DNA results.