Man exonerated of rape after 17 years in prison

GRAND RAPIDS (AP) - A Grand Rapids man who spent about 17 years in prison has been officially exonerated of a rape that officials now say he didn't commit.

The Grand Rapids Press reports 40-year-old Quentin Carter has denied for more than 23 years that he sexually assaulted a 10-year-old neighbor girl. Kent County prosecutor William Forsyth said earlier this month Carter's innocence is an "inescapable conclusion," and his 1992 conviction was formally set aside by a judge last Thursday.

Carter was nearly 17 when he was convicted, and he was released on parole seven years ago. The judge's order calls for his removal from the state's sex offender registry.

Authorities believe Carter was framed by a man living with the girl's mother at the time. The man was convicted of first-degree murder this month in a separate case.

Published: Mon, Jun 29, 2015