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Old 05-27-2017, 08:00 AM   #2
Guardian
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Join Date: May 19, 2010
Location: WA
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I remember this case well. It always bothered me because seeing the segment when I was younger, I always felt he was innocent. I'm a bit more hesitant today, but I still believe him to most likely be innocent.

Dr Branion has passed away since the segment aired. While I don't recall the exact details, he was released from prison - although I don't think his conviction was exactly overturned- but in any case he died shortly after due to heart complications (heart failure I believe).

As I recall, most evidence seemed to support his innocence. But at least some parts of his story were either changed or just didn't make sense. All in all though, it always seemed to me that the police railroaded him on some very circumstantial evidence.

The main issue that seemed to work against him was the story of the gun. As I recall, he told the police he didn't have a model like the one used (a Walther PPK as I recall), yet he did indeed own one. With that exception, I don't remember any real faking evidence against him. The mistress angle didn't make much sense because he had already been seeing the woman for years and his wife knew about it. I suppose an argument could still rise on that situation at any time, but likely not something that would lead to first degree murder (which is what this almost certainly would have been if Branion did do it).

If indeed innocent, and again I'd say he likely was, this was a sad miscarriage of justice.
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