The Lorain Co. prosecutor is seeking a new trial for men convicted of murder in 1991

LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio – A life of new hope is what attorney Josh Dubin wants for four men convicted of a 1991 murder he said they did not commit.

While this case is still developing, Dubin said he is confident his wish will be granted in what he believes is a promising new development.

“I hope that the acquittal will make it a little easier for them to live with,” Dubin said.

Dubin’s sense of hope comes after Lorain County Prosecutor JD Tomlinson released a statement Monday revealing that he, along with his defense attorney, is filing a motion for a new trial for Alfred Cleveland, Benson Davis, John Edwards and Lenworth Edwards provided.

As reported in the press release, these men were convicted of the 1991 murder of Marsha Blakely and suspected of murdering Blakely’s roommate, Floyd Epps.

If the court grants this request, Tomlinson stated that he would dismiss all charges against these four men, providing great relief to Dubin, his clients and their families.

“I think that this district attorney recognized that there was something really wrong going on here and that this was an opportunity to make it right,” Dubin said.

According to court documents from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio Western Division, the disputed allegations involve Cleveland and Queens-based drug traffickers killing Blakely in the summer of 1991 over money she owed them for drugs.

Now, more than 30 years later, Tomlinson is challenging the former prosecution’s star witness, citing serious flaws in the case that raise overwhelming doubts.

In the statement, Tomlinson also revealed how he found other deficiencies in the physical evidence and the state’s ability to meet its burden of proof.

“The person who implicated them in these crimes 33 years ago said, ‘I made the whole thing up,’ and no one would listen. We’re just super grateful that someone finally listened,” Dubin said.

Tomlinson maintains that this decision was not made lightly and extends his deepest condolences to the family. At the same time, he says justice requires action, even if it is difficult.