(Newser)
–
An Australian man hanged for raping and murdering a 12-year-old girl has been pardoned 86 years after his execution, Reuters reports. Hairs found in his bed that were said to belong to the victim weren’t hers, recent tests showed. The attorney general said the case was a warning against the use of the death penalty, which hasn't been imposed in Australia since 1967.
“It is a tragedy for everyone involved that the actual perpetrator was not caught, and an innocent man lost his life,” said the murder victim’s niece.
