A man whose criminal case News 5 examined more than a decade ago has been released from prison.  Rodney Stanberry served everyday of his 20 year sentence for armed robbery and shooting a Whistler woman in the head.

The problem, says Stanberry, is he didn’t do it.  Stanberry has always maintained his innocence.  Even when facing three parole hearings and knowing the parole board might grant parole if he admitted to the crime and expressed remorse, Stanberry said he couldn’t accept responsibility for something he didn’t do.

When News 5 investigated the case, we found evidence the jury never heard.  Witnesses and documents placed Stanberry at work at a trash hauling company where he worked for nine years, at the time the crime happened.  Private investigators interviewed another man who confessed to taking part in the crime.

Valerie Finley was the victim.  She was shot in the head inside her home in 1992 and her husband’s gun collection was stolen.  She was in a coma for several days.  When she awoke, she said it was Stanberry who had been in her home.  Stanberry had been in the home several times.  He was her husband, Mike Finley’s best friend.

While Stanberry maintains his innocence, the family of Valerie Finley still considers him responsible and protested at his parole hearings.

Stanberry says now that he’s out of prison, he will move forward with civil actions in hopes of clearing his name.