DALLAS – A Dallas man who says he pleaded guilty to a 1990 rape because his attorney advised him to avoid trial may soon be exonerated.
The Dallas County district attorney said Thursday that DNA testing shows Michael Phillips is innocent and identifies another man as the culprit in the rape of a 16-year-old girl at a motel.
The 57-year-old Phillips served 12 years in prison after entering a plea deal and hasn't actively sought exoneration since his release.
District Attorney Craig Watkins says Phillips was tested as part of a review of untested rape samples.
Phillips, who is black, says his attorney warned him to not risk a jury trial for the rape of a white teenager.
Watkins says he'll seek exoneration at a hearing Friday in Dallas.
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