When he was arrested, many people doubted authorities had their man, and on Tuesday, Leslie Allen Merritt Jr., accused of a string of Interstate 10 shootings left jail.
He told reporters that he wanted to be home with his child. “I told you when I first got arrested that I didn’t do it. I’m telling you now that I’m going home, I didn’t do it.”
“The state’s case against Merritt appeared to have been thrown into turmoil after Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Warren Granville’s ruling in a Tuesday morning hearing, according to the Arizona Republic. “The judge acted to modify Merritt’s release conditions after a defense motion that called into question the ballistics evidence that prosecutors say links Merritt to the crimes. Granville found that there was a “material fact” not presented earlier in the case.”
Merritt is still facing charges including drive-by shooting and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Merritt’s attorney, Jason Lamm, “There’s no evidence against him. He’s no more the I-10 shooter than you are,” referring to an independent ballistics analysis.