Missouri court throws out man’s convictions in 2003 slaying

The Missouri Supreme Court has thrown out the convictions of a Kansas City man who has spent 16 years in prison for a slaying that he and others contend he did not commit. 

In a two-paragraph order Tuesday setting aside Keith Carnes’ convictions, the state’s high court also ordered that Keith Carnes be released from prison within 30 days unless prosecutors move to retry him. 

Carnes has been in prison since 2006 after being convicted of killing a Kansas City man in 2003, but some witnesses have since recanted their testimony used to convict him. 

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt had argued to keep Carnes behind bars.