KILLEEN, TX — Killeen rapper George Powell spent the past 11 years behind bars after he was convicted of robbing a 7-Eleven, until a Texas court said he deserved a new trial. On Monday, he walked through the doors of the convenience store looking to prove his innocence.
The crux of the case hung on surveillance footage. An expert in the trial said that the man in the video was over 6 feet tall, which is around Powell’s height. But new forensic specialists are saying that the suspect is much shorter.
“I walked in. I walked out. I was watching the doors, and then I got to stand in the doorway, and I got to look over and saw that the height sticker. The top one is like way down here,” said Powell, gesturing to below his eye.
Powell's case garnered national attention after Netflix released a documentary highlighting shortfalls in forensic science.
“The greatest relief that I could have possibly imagined because now I get to finally prove my innocence,” said Powell.
George Powell thought about the day he could through the doors of the store for 11 years.
“The courts never would allow us to do it. It feels good to finally be able to start that process. We may be back at some point, perhaps with some professional photogrammetry people but this is a start,” said Mike Ware, Powell’s attorney and Executive Director of the Innocence Project of Texas.
Powell told 25 News that his legal team has filed a motion to disqualify the district attorney’s office from further prosecution.
Powell’s life after his release has been both exciting and challenging. He appeared in Harker Heights municipal court to answer to old traffic violations on Monday. He turned himself in for two warrants that were outstanding when he was arrested for aggravated robbery back in 2008.
The judge ruled that Powell had served his time.
But there are some joys as well since returning to the world outside prison walls. Powell said that he recently met a high-profile music producer and plans to record his story through rap very soon.
