The Hamilton County District Attorney’s office today took the rare step of dismissing a first-degree murder charge in a high-profile 2008 killing because of lack of evidence.
The killing took place in March of 2008 at a “pajama party” on Dodds Avenue amid the East Lake Court housing project. The victim’s mother drew attention to the killing by vowing to help clean up the neighborhood’s violence problem.
But now Dominic Pointer who was arrested just days after the killing, charged with first-degree murder and has been incarcerated ever since could be leaving jail soon after Assistant D.A. Brian Finley said in court this morning that there were doubts about the case and agreed to drop all charges.
An investigation is still pending, but both sides said they agreed that Mr. Pointer was most likely standing next to the real shooter. Mr. Finley said he reserved the right to re-prosecute Mr. Pointer if that belief should change.
Mr. Pointer’s defense attorney Jesse Dalton said “it is very rare” for first-degree murder charges to be dropped.
He said the D.A.’s office, however, did their “due diligence” in the case and seemed committed to solving it.
“Someone’s dead here and there needs to be punishment, but it needs to be for the right person,” Mr. Dalton said.
See tomorrow’s Times Free Press for complete details.
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