Bruce Lisker (Los Angeles Times / September 21, 2009) |
LOS ANGELES -- The murder charge filed against Bruce Lisker in connection with the killing of his mother in 1983 was dismissed Monday.
The charge was dropped after prosecutors announced they were unable to proceed with the case.
Lisker's conviction and life sentence for the 1983 murder of his mother was overturned in August after he served more than 26 years behind bars.
Lisker was released from Mule Creek State Prison near Sacramento Aug. 13 after U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips concluded his trial was tainted with "false evidence."
Phillips also said the San Fernando Valley man did not receive adequate representation from his defense attorney.
Lisker was serving a life sentence for the March 1983 beating and stabbing death of his mother, 66-year old Dorka Lisker.
He was 17 at the time of the killing and told police he found his mother dead on the floor of their Sherman Oaks home.
Lisker has testified that he went to his parents' house to borrow a tool and found his mother lying on the floor.
He was the first to report her death to authorities.
Prosecutors pointed to blood on Lisker's clothes and said a bloody footprint at the scene matched his.
Lisker had a history of drug abuse and fighting with his mother.
He later acknowledged committing the crime but has said he only confessed to get a plea deal.
The Los Angeles Times determined a footprint at the crime scene did not match Lisker's shoes and contended the defendant could have bloodied his clothes when he went to his mother's aid.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Ralph Zarefsky said investigators did not follow up on another likely suspect who had lied about his alibi, claimed to have been in a knife fight on the day of the crime and said he talked to the victim at her house the day before the murder.
The charge was dropped after prosecutors announced they were unable to proceed with the case.
Lisker's conviction and life sentence for the 1983 murder of his mother was overturned in August after he served more than 26 years behind bars.
Lisker was released from Mule Creek State Prison near Sacramento Aug. 13 after U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips concluded his trial was tainted with "false evidence."
Phillips also said the San Fernando Valley man did not receive adequate representation from his defense attorney.
Lisker was serving a life sentence for the March 1983 beating and stabbing death of his mother, 66-year old Dorka Lisker.
He was 17 at the time of the killing and told police he found his mother dead on the floor of their Sherman Oaks home.
Lisker has testified that he went to his parents' house to borrow a tool and found his mother lying on the floor.
He was the first to report her death to authorities.
Prosecutors pointed to blood on Lisker's clothes and said a bloody footprint at the scene matched his.
Lisker had a history of drug abuse and fighting with his mother.
He later acknowledged committing the crime but has said he only confessed to get a plea deal.
The Los Angeles Times determined a footprint at the crime scene did not match Lisker's shoes and contended the defendant could have bloodied his clothes when he went to his mother's aid.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Ralph Zarefsky said investigators did not follow up on another likely suspect who had lied about his alibi, claimed to have been in a knife fight on the day of the crime and said he talked to the victim at her house the day before the murder.
