Man cleared 10 months after murder charge

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MEDIA, Pa., March 21 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania man was freed from jail Wednesday, 10 months after he was charged with shooting a minister's son in Chester.

Tahmir Craig, 23, was arrested in early June after tipsters told police he resembled a photo from a surveillance camera of the man who shot Devon Williams, 27, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Williams was killed on Memorial Day.

District Attorney Jack Whelan said he sent the photos to the FBI for analysis after a witness who had identified Craig as the shooter recanted and Williams' mother said she was unsure Craig was her son's killer. The FBI found the shooter was close to 6 feet tall, more than 5 inches taller than Craig.

Whelan said he has apologized to Craig and his mother, Melonie. Melonie Craig told the Inquirer a police search left her house "torn up" and said she was planning to move out of Chester because she does not believe her son will be safe there.

"It will never be the same for him," she said.

Scott Kramer said Craig had an alibi. But Jamar Jones, a neighbor who had been with him at the time of the shooting, was killed in a hit-and-run crash a month later after giving a statement to defense investigators.

Kramer described Craig as a hard-working young man with no criminal record. He is planning to file a civil suit on his behalf.

Williams was the son of the Rev. Calvin Williams of the Temple of Brotherly Love. Whelan said the case is being treated "as if it happened today" with investigators once more searching for the killer.