
Man convicted of murder in 1993 gets new trial after key evidence called into question
CBSN
A man convicted of murder in 1993 and sentenced to life in prison was granted a new trial by a Massachusetts judge last week, as the validity of key pieces of evidence used to convict him has been called into question. Now, Thomas Rosa's attorneys are calling on prosecutors to drop charges against him altogether.
Suffolk Superior Court Judge Michael Ricciuti issued an order on Wednesday that vacates Rosa's convictions for the 1985 killing of Gwendolyn Taylor, who was 18 years old at the time of her death, court documents show. Rosa has been tried three separate times for the crime and maintained his innocence through the decades.
In a statement to CBS News, a spokesperson for the Suffolk County District Attorney's office said, "We assented to the motion for a new trial based upon the relevant information. We are in the process of reviewing the justice's ruling and will make a decision at a future date."

Barry Morphew, a longtime suspect in his wife's disappearance and murder, was arrested in Arizona on June 20, 2025, two days after he was indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the case of his wife Suzanne Morphew's death. This was the second time Barry Morphew has been arrested and charged in her death. The initial charges were dismissed without prejudice, meaning authorities reserved the right to charge him again.