DALLAS (KRLD) - Two men who were wrongfully arrested for capital murder nearly 20 years ago have finally been declared innocent by the courts.
Dallas County State District Judge Rocky Jones signed orders that exonerate Stanley Mozee and Dennis Allen in the April 1999 murder of pastor Jesse Borns.
Borns was stabbed 47 times. His body was found in his woodworking shop in far south Dallas.
The case caught the attention of the Innocence Project of Texas and the national Innocence Project. In 2014, then-District Attorney Craig Watkins ordered files used by prosecutors to be open to defense attorneys.
"We discovered that there was evidence of these men's innocence, eyewitness statements, letters from informants who had lied on the witness stand. All of which had been hidden from them by the trial prosecutor back in 1999, 2000," said Nina Morrison, an attorney with the national office of the Innocence Project.
Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot -- the fourth DA to review this case -- apologized to both men for the injustice they suffered.
"We are deeply sorry for what has happened to you and apologize, and we wish you good luck," said Creuzot.
While both men have been free for the last four years, a signature on a piece of paper makes a difference.
"Being this day here, and this piece of paper? It's just like a burden lifted off of your shoulder," said Mozee. "Thinking I'm going back. Always ruling against you and you're going back. But I'm just thankful this day has come and this burden has been lifted."
The case of murder victim Borns is still open and is considered unsolved.