A Georgia PhD student and veteran spent 30 days in jail for a crime he did not commit due to a mistaken identity.
Ladavious McNair, a 32-year-old veteran and PhD student, was wrongly jailed because his name is the same as the genuine culprit.
McNair was in jail for a crime that a judge ultimately determined he did not commit.
“I will never forget hearing the chains.”
McNair’s final court appearance was on Friday, November 1, capping off a year-long journey that began when a man with the same name shot someone in a road rage incident.
“I actually remember the class, which was about quantitative analysis.”
When the incident happened, McNair was in class at Clark Atlanta University, and authorities issued warrants for his arrest without his knowledge.
“I was surrounded by over 10 to 15 cop cars; they’re all jumping out with their weapons, telling me to get the f out of the car.”
McNair viewed his stay in jail as traumatic.
“I walked out, and I smelled that fresh air and my beautiful fiancé, my frat brothers, and family.”
McNair is finally free after a long battle.
“The ineffectiveness in identifying the actual perpetrator is my fault.”
McNair does not condemn the man by name but instead criticizes the authorities for failing to uncover the genuine murderer.
McNair’s counsel claims that a witness, the victim of the incident, and McNair’s college professor helped prove his innocence.