Exonerated Cary man says he still doesn't feel free

Raleigh, N.C. — A Cary man exonerated for murder after more than 16 years in jail said Wednesday that he still doesn’t feel completely free.

Gregory Taylor, 47, said he is not allowed to drive without restrictions.

Taylor was charged with DWI before his arrest for the murder of Jacquetta Thomas in 1991. He was cleared of the murder charge in February and pardoned by the governor last month.

Still, Taylor said the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles is punishing him for his DWI by only allowing him to drive between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. for the next five years.

“This thing would have been resolved decades ago if I hadn’t spent all that time in prison for a crime I did not commit,” Taylor said.

He said he plans to fight the DMV’s decision.

Taylor was convicted in April 1993 in the Thomas’ death. He had exhausted all avenues of appeals when the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission reviewed his case and decided in September 2009 that it merited a review before the special panel.

77 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

VIEW ALL 77 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments.

Latest Comments

Let the man drive! If he hasn't learned a lesson in the past 17 years or so, it won't be long before the tale is told. Hopefully if he drinks and drives, he'll be caught sooner rather than later and maybe he won't kill you or I in the process. We drive on the highways everyday with drunk drivers who haven't been caught yet...that's reality!

sunshineonmyshoulder
June 18, 2010 12:43 p.m.

May God continue to bless this man. He has been through a lot more than many have. Sent to prison for nothing because someone did not do their job right.

wildcat
June 17, 2010 5:22 p.m.

In man's world they are so easily convict a person, but in God's world the person will be shock as to the outcome. Jesus and God will be the last judger.

wildcat
June 17, 2010 5:03 p.m.

"The information about the DMV decision did not come from Greg Taylor. It came from me!!! I was outraged when I heard about this and emailed WRAL voicing my opinion. It was me that started this debate over this innocent man because I believed the restriction DMV has placed on this man is a gross injustice. They completely disregarded the past 17 years and have picked up where they left off. WRAL receiving this information was no play for sympathy. It was merely me, a member of this community, voicing my opinion. I will keep my thoughts to myself from now on. I seem to have created more injustice for this man!" rupertmary

Don't beat yourself up for trying to help someone. Some posters here are heartless.

itsmyownopinion
June 17, 2010 5:02 p.m.

But if he had NOT been involved with seedy characters and messing around with alcohol and drugs, he WOULD NOT have been wrongly convicted. DeathRow-IFeelYourPain-NOT

What an amazingly idiotic statement to make, even for golow standards.....

soyousay
June 17, 2010 4:44 p.m.