Two Brooklyn men locked up for 21 years for a gruesome triple murder walked out of court free on Thursday after new DNA evidence led prosecutors to drop all charges against them.
“It feels amazing, it feels amazing!” Anthony Yarbough, 39, cried out as he strode out into the cold winter air for the first time since he and pal Sharrif Wilson, 37, were convicted of killing his mother, 12-year-old sister and the sister’s friend in 1992.
“This smells a lot better than Attica’s mess hall,” Yarbough said an hour later as he sat with a dozen family members at Junior’s on Atlantic Avenue.
Yarbough stared hungrily at a BLT when a waiter set it before him, but politely waited until his aunt was served her dinner.
Wilson’s release was delayed because of paperwork, but when he finally walked out of court he said, “I’m so happy I can’t even speak.”
But he did say his first meal would be pizza and added, “I want to go get a new iPhone 5, catch up on the times a little bit.”
The two men were convicted even though Yarbough called 911 once he discovered the stabbed bodies and even though both men were hanging out in the West Village at the time the medical examiner believed the murders took place, court papers state.
Last year, DNA evidence taken from under the fingernails of Yarbough’s slain mom was matched to DNA found on a woman raped and killed in 1999 — while Yarbough and Wilson were behind bars.
“In light of the newly discovered evidence, the people move to dismiss the indictments,” Brooklyn prosecutor Mark Hale said to huge cheers from the men’s family.
“Your honor, I ask that my client be uncuffed,” said Yarbough defense attorney Philip Smallman.
“Your client will be uncuffed,” said Supreme Court Judge Raymond Guzman. “The judgments of conviction are vacated.”
Riding the elevator from the 19th-floor courtroom down to the lobby, Yarbough was handed three $100 bills by a woman in his family.
“This is $300. Are you tripping?” Yarbough said.
“Tony, take that and put it in your pocket,” she said. “You need a whole new wardrobe, but that’ll get you an outfit at least.”