After nearly two decades behind bars, a teenager sentenced to life in a 2004 North Minneapolis flower shop murder is hoping to overturn his conviction.
The Innocence Project agues that Marvin Haynes was convicted on circumstantial evidence alone and his case deserves a second look.
Haynes' sister, Marvina, says she's hopeful.
"Nothing about my family's story or my brother's situation has changed," she says. "But if you look at everybody else's statements and all of that, their stories had begun to change."
Marvina says her family is trusting in the process.
"I feel like the judge is a fair guy, but I don't, I'm not going to put all of my belief and power into a human being like myself, with the most high hope the truth shall prevail," she said.
The case has been continued until December 20, when the remaining witnesses are scheduled to take the stand.
Now 35-years old, Haynes has been in prison after being convicted for the murder of 55-year-old shop clerk Randy Sherer who was killed inside his family business.
Haynes was convicted despite there being no physical evidence tying him to the scene, and there being little resemblence to the description of the shooter. The 16-year old Haynes claimed he was asleep at home at the time of the shooting, and all four of his sisters testified saying the same.
Investigators and the Hennepin County Attorney's Office have stood by the conviction.