"He is a student there and ready to take the field. [9], The Hollywood Reporter said it was, "An effectively indignation-inducing true crime tale. Keith Hampton hadalleged inKelley's appeal that theaccused'strial lawyer, Patricia Cummings, had not adequately defended him, namely by refusing to take a harder look at McCarty as a possible suspect due to a conflict of interest, having representedmembers of the McCarty family some years prior. The children gave testimonies from a closed-circuit television, but every attempt that was done to make them positively identify Greg failed. Neathery is now the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Eastern Michigan under head coach Chris Creighton. But, when one of the children at the McCarty daycare accused Kelleyof molestation, his college football dreams as well as his entire life fell apart. They tied the knot in Austin this past January. But even in the middle of the nightmare, he found bright spots. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. We weren't really scared going into the trial. [E]ven though I didn't technically have a senior year as a normal high school student, the past is the past and the future is limitless. "It breaks my family's heart because I don't deserve that, they don't deserve that. Read More: Where Is Johnathan McCarty Now? Kelley said that of course children should have fierce advocates and they are generally doing important work. I was still convicted. It's crazy! No other I said it in the documentary, Hills said. ", He calls his wife, Gaebri Anderson, "totally unreal," adding, "I don't think there's a woman out there that can compare to the amount of heart and faith she hasI would be a damn fool to ever try to let that go. If youre that sure he did it youll give him no jail time, but if he is that adamant about not pleading guilty, youll give hima 25 year sentence?" Another Hail Mary, interestingly, got him to this point convicted and sentenced to 25 years without the chance of parole in 2014, it took a tirelessadvocate, an unconvinced lawyer and an opened-minded district attorney to take up the case, eventually unearthing a shoddy and unethical police investigation and inadequate legal representation the first time around. All the while, he insisted he was innocent. It gave me a little bit more hope. Hefiled a lawsuit against Cedar Park earlier this year for his wrongful conviction, theStatesman reportedin March. He had proposed to her in 2017 just a day after a Texas judge ordered to vacate his conviction, KXAN reported at the time. News. Since he moved back to Austin last fall, Kelley has been working out with former Texas running back Jeremy Hills, an elite football trainer. Kelly Gregg was born in Wichita, KS. "Imagine not being able to kiss or hug the person you love. "You had no idea who I was after my conviction," Kelley saidin court on the day of his exoneration. Dick said he would not have even tried Kelley if he was in office at the time, noting that there was not enough evidence to prosecute in his view. Having previously maintained that he conducted a thorough investigation in the Kelley case, Dailey had yet to comment. Based on the boys outcry, the police suspected that the incident occurred on July 12. He was convicted in 2014 of super-aggravated assault on a child and sentenced to 25 years in prison. In 2013, Greg Kelley, a high school football star, was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a four-year-old. JakeBrydon, who led themovement to get Kelley exonerated, told Oxygen.comthat the prosecutor's office offered Kelley 10 years of probation with no jail time but he refused to take the deal, proclaiming innocence. Former Georgia star Jalen Carter, one of the top prospects in next month's NFL draft, has been charged with reckless driving and racing in conjunction with the crash that killed a teammate and a recruiting staff member. A 6-foot-1, 215-pound safety, Kelley told ESPN he is excited to "shake off the cobwebs" after seven years away from football and will play at the same rover position at EMU that he played in high school. ", Catch Justin Sylvester's interview with Greg Kelley on the Aug. 19 episode of E! Gregory has since also founded a company by the name of Tomahawk Targets, which makes custom axe throwing boards and corn hole sets, and has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Cedar Park and several of its officers for his wrongful conviction. The former high school football star, whose story was just told in the Showtime documentary seriesOutcry, spent three years in prison for a crime he didn't commit and, even after his release in 2017, he was only formally exonerated this past November. He was unable to definitively conclude who the perpetrator was, but he had three suspects: Kelley, Johnathan McCarty and an unnamed third person. "Worse than murder" when you're in prison, Kelley said in an interview last month with E! "This particular child said Greg," he acknowledged. That summer, a 4-year-old boy who attended the McCarty daycare accused Kelley of molesting him. District Judge Donna King recommended in December 2017 that Kelley's conviction be overturned, writing in her decision that the state wouldn't have been able to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt ifcertain evidence that had come to light since had been presented at trial. That's how Eastern Michigan's newest football recruit, Greg Kelley, chooses to look at life these days, after an eight-year, nationally publicized saga that saw the one-time top-shelf Texas high-school football star wrongfully convicted for child sexual assault and spend three-and-a-half years in prison. Birthplace. But, he added, "I want justice." Greg Kelleyhas hopes and dreams, like a lot of people. After he was convicted, a crowd of supporters surrounded him but a cloud of uncertainty about his future continued to follow as shown in a new docuseries about the flawed case against him and his eventual freedom. All Rights Reserved. Kelley'sconviction wasvacated in November 2019. Kelley was accepted at the University of Texas and, after getting a walk-on tryout this spring, hopes toplay for theLonghorns. Schumann returning to Georgia. In 2013, with four scholarship offers on the table, a steady girlfriend and the future looking bright, the 17-year-old was accused ofmolesting a 4-year-old boy. 'sJust the Sip, available wherever you get your podcasts. He said he has given Kelley some office space on his property for Kelley's new endeavor acompany calledTomahawkTargets,which makes customaxe throwing boardsand corn hole sets. "I've got nothing but work ethic right now," Kelley said. He told, There has not been another arrest in connection with Kelley's case specifically, though McCarty has been arrested, A judge recommended to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals that Kelleys conviction be vacated in 2017 after a long and difficult battle from Kelley's supporters, according to the, As Outcry shows,Kelley moved to New York City with his longtime high school sweetheart turned. Kelley has been completely exonerated and declared innocent. We had to fall in love with each other's hearts through these letters.". "So I want to explore that, I want to be given an opportunity to go and show these coaches like, 'Hey, I can continue to play, I've got tons of heart. ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. Therefore, even though there was no concrete evidence, apart from his name, and that there was another probable suspect, Jonathan McCarty, Greg was sentenced to 25 years in prison without parole and with only the right to file for a new trial. He is the co-host of Good Day New York. Brydon told Oxygen.comthat the Kelleys have sincemoved back to the Cedar Park area following their wedding. Not everybody gets that. A former Cedar Park resident named Jake Brydon helped pay forhis defense through the appeals process. "[10], Michael Morton, who was mentioned in Outcry as also having been wrongfully convicted, expressed that the way the prosecutors are being presented in Outcry is problematic. Both just 17 at the time, thetrialmade them grow up fast. We all agree that if [this person] committed the offense, then Greg's conviction should certainly be reversed.". "You really start looking at Greg and realize not only can this kid move well, he'll probably play on Saturdays at a big-time program. ", But though Kelley is committed to holding the parties he feels are responsible for damaging his life"financially, emotionally, mentally, physically"accountable, he told E! I've done everything I possibly can to show you that I didn't do this.". Greg Kelley went from a football hero to a wrongfully convicted sex offendersentenced to25 yearswithout parole. "I am excited to announce that I have "Me and my family, that nightmare that we went through, is something I don't wish on my worst enemy. "Still to this day, it doesn't get easier," Kelley told E! The suit contends that Daileywas told Kelley hadn't lived at the McCarty home since June 2013 but changed the date to make it look as if he was still there on the July date the assault was alleged to have occurred. "Picked up my long overdue high school diploma yesterday at Leander High School," he wrote on Instagram. Kelley has since received a wrongful-conviction settlement from the state of Texas, and is suing the police department that targeted him from the beginning and never looked at other suspects. And so, finally unafraid and willing to move on in life, he enrolled in UT Austin, a public university in Austin, Texas, where he is majoring in Kinesiology and Health Education. News. Kelley, who signed last year to play football at Eastern Michigan, entered the transfer portal earlier this week. Is Kelly Gregg in the Hall of Fame? [7] Metacritic rates Outcry 78% from 5 critics. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. In support of Kelley, a supporting groundswell emerged that called into question the small-town police force, their investigation, the prosecution's tactics, and ultimately the validity of the conviction[2] in one of the most controversial cases the county had ever seen. "Worse than murder" when you're in prison, Kelley said in an interview last month with E! And I don't take it for granted. Still, none of that changesthat he spent almost seven years, including three behind bars, with a cloud ofguilt hanging over his head. "Football is a love of mine, something that I feel like has been given to me to love and to cherish and to experience," he told E! 5:36 pm ET, Alabama overcomes huge deficit, rallies to beat Auburn, Alabama hires former Texas, UL coach Strong as analyst, Georgia star Jalen Carter subject of arrest warrant, 23 things to watch during 2023 spring football, Lincoln Riley opens up on Year 2 expectations, Big Ten, CFP committee adds Hall of Fame coach for 2023, 23 things to watch as spring practices begin, Report: Alabama hires Charlie Strong as analyst, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter subject of arrest warrant, Diaco reunites with Kelly, joins LSU staff as analyst, Ex-Tennessee staffers penalized for NCAA violations. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Furthermore, an investigator used questionable tactics to interview the children. That summer, a 4-year-old boy who attended the McCarty daycare accused Kelley of molesting him. Not everybody who gets falsely accused ever gets to see the other side of justice. There was no way he was going to get convicted on the evidence they didn't have. Earning money proved tough while he was still a convicted felon, so he saved up for a ring doing yard work and other odd jobs. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. And once he was convicted, those who had assumed he was guilty figured they were merely being proved right. Kelley was enrolled at Texas and was preparing to try to walk on the football team, but right as that was about to happen, COVID-19 hit, and Texas halted the walk-on program. Furthermore, an investigator used questionable tactics to interview the children. Into Greg Kelley's senior year in Leander, Texas, he was arrested, convicted, and jailed for sexual assault of a four-year-old boy, and later for a second child, who both attended day care in the home where Kelley was living. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals finally overturned his conviction in November, where he was declared innocent and fully exonerated. And once he was convicted, those who had assumed he was guilty figured they were merely being proved right. On June 11, Greg moved back to his place, but more than a month later, a woman came forward and told the authorities that her son said that Greg had assaulted him. They're holding off on having kids though, Anderson said, so that her husband can focus on school. Despite performing well, the program wasnt accepting walk-ons due to the COVID-19 pandemic. WebGregory Raymond "Greg" Kelly (born December 17, 1968) is an American broadcast journalist. "But that's not the reason we gave him a scholarship. He was compensated more than a half-million dollars for his wrongful conviction,as well as free college, but he still was on scholarship at Eastern Michigan. "I want to give back," he said. Previously, he was the co-host of "Hes a young inspiring entrepreneur," Brydon told, Hes doing very well. Kelley was released on bond in 2017, with his attorney filing that another man had admitted to the crimes and evidence showing there were many faults in the investigation -- the kids who accused him of the crimes were never shown photographs to confirm Kelley's identity, for example. After that, Kelley had to wait and see what the Texas Court of Criminal Appealswould say. "And he's never said anything but Greg and he said it under oath. He was arrested during his senior year based on a sexual abuse allegation by a 4-year-old child in an in-home day care at a home where Kelley was staying with a friend and his family. Give me a shot.' We got to premiere this documentary months before it came out and, sitting there with my family, reliving six years of heartache in a documentary that's about five hoursI mean, there's no words to explain it.". A 6-foot-2, 215-pound safety, Eastern Michigan offered Kelley a scholarship in September, but the potential was there to make an impact, coachesagreed. His name wasn't cleared yet, but the young man was feeling hopeful. He told Oxygen.comthat the prosecutors' office didn't get "any legal blame in any of this," which he said was unfair. Kelley enrolled at the University of Texas in January with the hope of walking on with the Longhorns. Greg Hansen column: Wolfgang Weber's last three Salpointe boys soccer teams have gone a combined 57-5-3. Kelley and wife Gaebri his high-school sweetheart who stuck with him during his entire ordeal made the two-day move from Texas late last week. Two years later, in late 2019, Greg was finally exonerated with the belief that he is actually innocent of committing the offense., https://www.instagram.com/p/B4kczM4hmvk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link, In 2017, Greg Kelley was free, yes, but somehow, it felt the opposite for him. Almost two years later, the appeals court agreed, sent their decision back to the district court to formally dismiss the indictment, and King declared an emotional Kelley "formally exonerated.". He made friends on the inside whom he keeps in touch with daily, and he said he intends to start a prison ministry to help people serious about turning their life around. A second boy also came forward but later recanted his accusation against Kelley. These past two years have been a struggle, he said after his official exoneration. 'sJust the Sip, available wherever you get your podcasts, Why Alonzo Brooks' Death Needed Further Investigationand Not Just From, 'Mandalorian' star Pedro Pascal, creators on new Grogu revelations and 'Last of Us' comparisons, Saved by the bell: Contestant ordered to keep mask on, in historic 'Masked Singer' first, Chris Pine admits 'it does look' like Harry Styles spit on him but this is what actually happened, Rebel Wilson 'collapsed' after Ramona Agruma proposal: 'I was so overwhelmed', Amy Grant recalls being 'so scared' to return to touring following serious bike accident. He's currently enrolled as a student atthe University of Texas at Austin,KVUEreports. It really does. Hes living the American dream. (Featured Image Credit: Showtime). He was unable to definitively conclude who the perpetrator was, but he had three suspects: Kelley, Johnathan McCarty and an unnamed third person. WebGreg Kelley (28) Defensive Back - EMU: 2021: Part of EMUs 2021 signing class after practicing with EMU during the 2020 season2020: Did not see any game action, Greg Brydon said. He recently married his long term girlfriend, the love of his life, Gaebri Anderson, who stuck by him all these years. That commitment came during Kelley's junior year of high school. "When you're in there as a pedophile you're already the scum of the earth." It's crazy! As a junior at Leander High School, Kelley was offered a scholarship to UTSA by Neal Neathery, the Roadrunners defensive coordinator on the staff of then-head coach Larry Coker. But while that was the outcome Kelley had been praying for, his life hasn't simply snapped back to normal. He was convicted and sentenced the following year. The legal team also filed documents naming an alternate suspect, Johnathan McCarty. But he's also busy simply enjoying his freedom. Having previously maintained that he conducted a thorough investigation in the Kelley case, Dailey had yet to comment. ", Shawn Dicktold reporters a few weeks later, "Wewere able at least to get to the truth of whether or not Greg Kelley should have been convicted and whether or not the trial was held appropriately. "The physical was taken away from us," Gaebri, a cheerleader in high school who now teaches at a dance studio near Cedar Park, told thePost. Facebook; Twitter; Facebook Messenger; Pinterest; Email; print; Greg Kelley, a former Texas high school football player who was legally exonerated last November following a wrongful conviction in 2014 in a child sexual assault case, has signed with Eastern Michigan on a football scholarship. The Showtime mini-series premiered on July 5, 2020. [3], "This does not feel like freedom at all," said Kelley who was convicted of child sexual assault in 2014 to be exonerated in 2019 though it is exceedingly rare for the state's highest criminal court to overturn a conviction. All rights reserved. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. In the fall, after signing with Eastern Michigan, Kelley told The News, "I feel like I'm a 19-year-old kid again.". An attorney for Cummings told theAmerican-Statesmanthatshe didn't have any evidence against this third person when she was on the case, but "it is significant that they are now saying that he is the one who did this. Greg Kelley was a high school football star with a loving girlfriend who was close to achieving his dream of attending the University of Texas on a scholarship. As Showtimes new docuseries Outcry shows, many in the community hadtheir doubts about Kelleys guilt despite his conviction. Greg Kelleys life has not been simple. His new attorney,Keith Hampton, filed multiple motions, alleging thatthe police investigation was shoddy and that Kelley wasn't properly represented at trial. Hes a productive member of society.". Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and celebrity gossip. Kelley's case was documented in this summer's five-part Showtime documentary, "Outcry.". Courtney Cronin reports from the NFL combine on the breaking news involving NFL draft prospect Jalen Carter. Leander, TX. "It was an honor being able to be given this as I shook the hand of the current principal and was given a tour of a school where I once created wonderful memories. Almost two years later, the appeals court agreed, sent their decision back to the district court to formally dismiss the indictment, and King declared an emotional Kelley "formally exonerated.". Its been hard for me to hold a job, pass a background check. Kelley didn't return a message from The News on Tuesday. Early on, as soon as his name was out there, the case was taken up in the court of public opinion by child welfare activistsand the Internet took it from there. Kelley had spent time living in the home of a family that also used the home as a daycare business in 2013. It really does. Saying things they can't and they won't take back and, still to this day, I continue to get persecuted, and it breaks my heart. CLICK HERE to download the CBS Sports Mobile App and get the latest on your team today. The former high school football star, whose story was just told in the Showtime documentary seriesOutcry, spent three years in prison for a crime he didn't commit and, even after his release in 2017, he was only formally exonerated this past November. This was an actual ballplayer.". The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned Kelley's conviction last November, writing that "the system failed him, for it convicted an innocent man." After that, Kelley had to wait and see what the Texas Court of Criminal Appealswould say. ", Anderson, 24, told theNew York Post last month, "It was crazy. Greg Kelley, a former Texas high school football player who was legally exonerated last November following a wrongful conviction in 2014 in a child sexual Between Kelley, his family and his fiance, the tears wereflowing. Because the child was so small, they moved forwarded immediately and arrested Greg Kelley, the only known Greg who had been at that house. Greg Kelley to play football for Eastern Michigan after exoneration for wrongful conviction In 2014, a judge sentenced Kelley to 25 years in prison for child "Football is a love of mine, something that I feel like has been given to me to love and to cherish and to experience," he told E! Kelleys supporters rallied to show their support of the convicted teen, and to point out the apparentholes in the case. McCarty's family had taken Kelley in when Greg's own parents' health problems made it tough for them to take care of him. He made the announcement on an Instagram post uploaded on Saturday. Kelley, 26, was officially part of the Eastern Michigan's 2021 signing class, and played in the Eagles' spring game April 16, recording an interception. Texas is my dream school, Kelley told Horns247. This was an actual ballplayer.". But he's also busy simply enjoying his freedom. Kelley's case"clearly was the perfect storm of all aspects of the criminal justice system failing," Dick told Oxygen.com. Both just 17 at the time, thetrialmade them grow up fast. Greg Kelley may soon get a new trial after his sexual-assault conviction. Then he was accused of molesting a four-year-old boy and his life fell apart. His new attorney,Keith Hampton, filed multiple motions, alleging thatthe police investigation was shoddy and that Kelley wasn't properly represented at trial. We're running a new-subscriber special. "Those guys taught me so much about getting through and persevering through such a place full of hatred and violence, and racists. Chief Mannix retired from the Cedar Park forcein Februaryand was due toassume that role in the much smaller city ofBurnet, about 36 miles away, but KXAN reported on July 13 that he would no longer be taking the job. Furthermore, the filing also alleged, Cummings had previously represented this third suspect in another matter and therefore refrained from investigating that person as well. By Gina Tron Greg Kelley's Sex Assault Case ", Strangers really did come out of the woodwork. Greg Kelleyhas hopes and dreams, like a lot of people. "Being labeled a pedophile is worse than murder," Kelley explained. During it, the prosecution got an indictment that pushed back the date of the assault from July 12, 2013, to as on or about April 15, 2013, a time period wherein Greg was physically present as a resident of the McCarty house and was around the daycare. [8], The Guardian said, "It was a rollercoaster" and the most surprising docuseries of the summer. How tall is Kelly Gregg? They both may have had too much confidence in the system, but at least in the end, her faith and trust in Greg was not misplaced. Exonerated Kelley, 25, will play for E. Michigan, Breaking down the latest in 2024 football recruiting, from top commits to March visits, The Turnover Luck Index: Rating every 2022 team, from USC to Rutgers, ACC boss: Rule changes backed by FBS leaders, Stoops: QB Leary (pec) 'close to full go' for UK, Hall of Fame coach Ault named to CFP committee, Top draft prospect Carter charged in fatal crash, New NCAA president readies for NIL, legal issues, Ex-Vols staffers agree to show-cause penalties, UNC hires ex-Browns HC Kitchens as assistant, Kiper's updated NFL mock draft: Who's moving up for a QB? Kelley, 25, attempted to walk-on at Texas ahead of the 2020 campaign. She maintained in 2017 that the defense she went witharguing that no abuse had occurredwas her best available option at the time based on the evidence. "I choose to forgive, not for the people that did me wrong, but for myself, so I can continue to go forward," Kelley said Thursday in an interview with The Detroit News, his first public comments since officially committing to Eastern last week. ", He calls his wife, Gaebri Anderson, "totally unreal," adding, "I don't think there's a woman out there that can compare to the amount of heart and faith she hasI would be a damn fool to ever try to let that go. They tied the knot in Austin this past January. Kelley was enrolled at Texas and was preparing to try to walk on the football team, but right as that was about to happen, COVID-19 hit, and Texas halted the walk-on News, "hate is a virus and I have to realign myself with what my purpose needs to be, every time I wake up. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Dan Graziano reports from the NFL combine on the possible repercussions Jalen Carter could face from the league. "And he's never said anything but Greg and he said it under oath. Early on, as soon as his name was out there, the case was taken up in the court of public opinion by child welfare activistsand the Internet took it from there. But if anyone has the patience and strength to wait it out a bit longer, it's Kelley. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. As "Outcry" points out, McCarty's initial lawyer was close friends with the McCarty family and she declined to look at himas a potential subject. All 10 FBS commissioners are unanimous in their support for three proposed rules changes that aim to shorten the length of college football games, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips told ESPN. Kelley asked his future father-in-law for his daughter's hand in marriage while he was still locked upbut he didn't propose until after he was out. WebGreg. News, "hate is a virus and I have to realign myself with what my purpose needs to be, every time I wake up. Where was Kelly Gregg born? This was not a situation where we felt sorry for him. Texas Ranger Cody Mitchell, tasked with leading the new investigation in 2017, testified that August that he had determined that the Cedar Park Police had botched the original investigation. In early November, when the appellate court agreed Kelley's conviction should be overturned, Hampton told reporters that prosecuting someone else for the crime would be a tricky case no matter what. His case gained popularity thanks to "Outcry," a five-hour Showtime documentary series released in July that focuses on his conviction and the six-year attempt to overturn it. Greg Kelley, a former Texas high school football player who had his 2014 conviction in a child sexual assault case overturned due to a faulty investigation, will play football on scholarship for Eastern Michigan. ", Kelley also said that day, "I was given my freedom and I'm happy with it." We actually had a trip planned for the next day.". CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: collegefootball | pageType: stories |