Why Is Earl Mann Getting Out of Prison April 2009?

In an announcement in Akron, Ohio the town where Clarence Elkins was tried in a 1998 murder/rape case.  Ohio Innocence Project representatives and defense counsel for Elkins revealed that DNA evidence obtained from another man, Earl Mann, was a match with DNA found on the body of the murder victim and her 6-year-old granddaughter.  

No physical evidence, DNA or otherwise, has ever linked Elkins to the crime scene in Barberton, Ohio, where 58-year-old Judith Johnson was raped and murdered and her granddaughter was also beaten unconscious and raped.

Elkins was the son-in-law of Johnson and is an uncle of the younger victim.   A 10-year nightmare for Judith Johnson's family ended Monday when Earl Mann admitted he killed her and was sentenced to 55 years to life in prison.

In April 2009, Earl Mann a convicted "child molester" is scheduled to walk out of prison. Summit County prosecutors failed to include "with force" in the child rape indictment against Mann back in November 2001. That, as well as other problems with the case, led to a seven-year plea deal with the prisoner who otherwise could have faced up to 114 years in prison.

To make matters worse, Summit County's evidence vaults have been burglarized. Chief Assistant Criminal Prosecutor Mary Ann Kovach dismisses concerns that this will hurt the case against Mann. "The Earl Mann evidence or Elkins evidence is all in my office," she says. "My office is locked every night by me."

Kovach will not comment on the information Cindy Elkins passed on to Brandon and Clarence Jr. the night before their father was released, that Mann gave a "partial confession" about his possible involvement in Judy Johnson's murder.

 Melinda has been tireless in trying to bring justice to her mother Judith Johnson, to her niece, and to her husband, Clarence Elkins. She has led the fight from Day One. She was able to do something that the police and prosecutors were not able to do "solve this crime".

It was known she would not stop until she accomplished this. Clarence has been an inspiration with how he has handled this bizarre turn of events in his life with grace and dignity. Everyone is overjoyed for both Melinda and Clarence that his day has come.

I have a serious question though is it that this predator is sentenced to 55 years to life in prison or is he getting out in April 2009?

Sources: http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/080906elkins4.html

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2007/06/earl_mann_charged_in_slaying_f.html