What Happened in 1988?

Johnny Small was only 16 years old when he was sentenced to life in prison in the year 1989.

In 1988 15 year-old Small was accused of murdering a 32 year-old woman named Pam Dreher, she was found dead in Tropical Paradise, the pet store she owned in Wilmington. She was found with a single dun-shot wound to the back of the head and $173 missing from the cash register.

With no leads or witnesses the case was growing cold. Out of desperation the police department promised a $5,000 cash-prize to anyone who had any helpful information regarding the case. That’s when Nina Raiford, a high school classmate of Small called in with an anonymous tip. She claimed that she saw Small leaving the store around the same time the murder occurred.

With this tip the police department began to investigate Small, and for some reason his friend Bollinger. At first Bollinger stated that he did not know anything.

Later, he changed his story and said he drove the then 15-year-old Small to the pet shop so he could use a pay phone there. At that point, Small entered the store, robbed it and killed Dreher.

He then stated that Small left the store with a different shirt on.

According to a motion filed in court, this is the testimony that put Small in prison for murder.

What’s happening in 2016?

Bollinger said he decided to come clean after meeting Dwayne Allen Dail at a party in 2012. Dail was exonerated after 18 years in prison with the help of the North Carolina Actual Innocence Commission. When Bollinger met him, he knew what he had to do.

“I knew right then I’d found a way to at least come forward to someone,” Bollinger said

Bollinger was apologetic, as he told the judge that he lied back in 1988.

The two weren’t even together at the time of Dreher’s death, Bollinger said. Instead, he was driving his boss to an automobile auction in South Carolina.

He said that he lied because Wilmington Police Department detective James Lightner told him to and threatened to arrest him for murder if he didn’t cooperate. Bollinger said Lightner told him that he would be charged with Dreher’s murder and receive the death penalty.

Now Small will be in court all week to try and get his innocence proven.

According to National Geographic almost 4.7% of criminals punished with the death penalty are incorrectly convicted, and are truly innocent.

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