Latest Headlines
- ECUA Considering Water, Sewer And Sanitation Rate Increases
- Highway 4, Highway 168 Bridges Across North Escambia Remain Closed. Here’s An Update.
- Two-Time Super Bowl Champ Inspires Local Youth Athletes (With Photo Gallery)
- Century Woman Charged With Meth Possession After Traffic Stop
- For Escambia, Alabama, Deputy Charge With Federal Civil Rights Violation
- FWC Law Enforcement Report: Snapper Size, Gopher Tortoises
- These Are This Week’s Road Construction Trouble Spots
- Drone Show Wows Sellout Crowd in 5-1 Wahoos Loss
- Costco Nine Mile Road Plans Set For Development Review Meeting
- Applications Still Open For Pine Beetle Assistance And Prevention Program
DNA Evidence Clears Molino Man Charged With Molesting Young Girl
September 3, 2014
DNA evidence has cleared a Molino man that was charged last April will molesting a young girl.
A felony count of lewd lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12-years old was dropped against 71-year old Leldon Howard Bibby.
A young girl, described by the State Attorney’s Office as being “approximately” six-years old, had claimed that Bibby placed his hands inside her clothing and touched her inappropriately. She also claimed that Bibby gave her $5 not to tell anyone.
But according to court documents, the single charge against Bibby was dropped because “an FDLE report…excludes the defendant as a contributor to the DNA found in the victim’s clothing.”
Comments
29 Responses to “DNA Evidence Clears Molino Man Charged With Molesting Young Girl”
Reference to Esc Deputy, in most cases however, when DNA doesn’t match it means not guilty. Your a cop (and obviously one who’s drank the coll-aid) but be for real, what’s the percentage of cases where DNA doesn’t match where the accused is still the one who committed the crime ? What 1, maybe 2% ?
And it’s definitely not the same for everyone. In our legal system everyone looks out for each other and defense attorneys are not what you see on Law and Order AT ALL.. They have to bow down like anyone else. My lawyer in 1994, now the State Attorney, knew then he would be the next in line when Golden stepped down and everyone else knew it also. Hard to believe ? How come when they had the election, ole Bill ran unopposed (Dem or Rebublican). Win by default, sweet. No they just knew this good ole boy would run things business as usual.
Besides, people (juries) wanna believe those who are supposed to be the good guys. A correctional captain once told my grandparents a complete lie that they believed for the sole reason he was a correctional captain and purported himself to be a good guy which is the problem nowadays. People wanna do the right thing but it’s hard to tell who’s who nowadays. Oh btw, my old man was a cop for the county here from 68′ to 99′ so I know a little about how things operate within but for you cadets maybe reading, watch out for the cool-aid. You won’t be you anymore.
@God knows, You are delluded if you think a child of this age cannot make up a story like this and the “professionals” that you have so much confidence in, have been known to lead children during questioning resulting in false charges and convictions. Maybe you should look up the Mcdougal case, where a whole day care facility was charged with molestation and tried through the media and public opinion (that’s just one example of many cases). Don’t be so quick to believe everything a child says or to have so much faith in “professionals” who like to make themselves look important even at the expense of someones innocence. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t believe them, but keep an open mind.
REGARDING:
“They always seem to doubt the child no matter what”
They’re actually SUPPOSED TO, not just a child but any accuser.
The burden of proof is on the accuser, not the accused.
If this seems unreasonable, what if I accused YOU of assorted horrible crimes?
Wouldn’t you want me to have to prove my accusations?
David for justice
I do know WE have to protect our children, because most of these so called childrens advocates dont do the right thing for these children , they need to adopt some new rules . Been there, Done that. They always seem to doubt the child no matter what
People are not ‘cleared’ to prove innocence: Under the law, people are innocent until proven guilty. The notion that one has not been proven “innocent” is wrong and does injustice. The idea that a he-said, she-said, with a kid involved is in and of itself sufficient to generate probable cause is insanity. Anyone who has had children knows that even young ones are capable of dishonesty. The system is not perfect: It is broken.
Well jvst maybe the d.n.a was messed up by the law and his lawyer ran away with it…no 6year old is gonna make this up..the 5dollars and all come on they talk 2 these kids with trained professinols i know i had one put in prison 4 touching my child for 20years he only did 7 and got out go figure
Good he was cleared now to all the Linch mob they need to make a public apology to this man for all the hate and judging they showed just saying
So sad, that mans life is ruined. Even though he has been found innocent, no one that knows will ever look at him the same way again. There will always be that tiny seed of doubt. Too bad there isnt a way to keep an accused persons identity secret until after they have been convicted.
Prayers go up for the little girl. Someone must have hurt her. I hope they find the real culprit soon.
Not so much in this case but in cases where the person / persons were so-called found guilty and later on DNA said NOT GUILTY or DID NOT DO IT INNOCENT need to be compensated big time like the 2 men that will be released today after 30 years in prison. A fund needs to be developed from a deduction in the pay of every COP, PROSECUTOR AND JUDGE to go into a pool where when a person is later proven NOT GUILTY or INNOCENT this fund will go to compensate the wrongful convicted at a rate of $ 1,000,000.00 per year tax free and on top of that the PROSECUTOR will in turn do the time in prison the wrongful convicted did and this will stop these sorry PROSECUTORS from making a name for themselves by just wanting to send SOMEBODY to prison. There should be no more defendants found NOT GUILTY or INNOCENT from DNA because it has been used for many years now and should have exonerated all the real NOT GUILTY by now. I’m not saying it should stop but get them all done.
I do not know this man and was not involved in his case. I will only point out two things. First, the term “cleared” by DNA is not entirely accurate. While DNA does, in some cases, prove a person did not commit a crime, that is not always the case, and it may not be the case here. We know from the story that DNA was not his. That does not mean he did not commit the crime. It means that key piece of evidence needed to convict him in court is gone, and so the PROVABLE part of the case is gone. Having charges dropped or being found not guilty does not, by any stretch of the imagination, mean a person is proven “innocent”. Only that the state cod not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they were guilty. Maybe this man is guilty and maybe he isn’t. Only he, the girl and God know.
Second, to address the comments about the “shoddy” investigation. Keep this in mind: the place to prove a case is in court. It is only law enforcements job to start that process. And in order to start that process, the level of proof that is needed is “probable cause” or in other words, if you look at the information and evidence available and you can say he “probably” did it, THAT is enough for an arrest and to start the court process. It would be great if DNA was done in a day, but if a little girl gives a convincing story about being molested, and law enforcement waits months for DNA evidence, how would the public feel if he molested another girl in that time? How many of you read the articles a month ago about the men who were arrested in the online underage sex sting, and posted comments about them needing to be castrated, or sent away for life? They didn’t have a trial yet either. The process is the same for everybody. Sometimes people are not convicted of what they are accused of. That is just how the system works. Just like some people that are truly guilty get off from time to time. The system isn’t perfect but that is what we have.
Good thing we didn’t just execute him, as too many people that post here advocate anytime somebody is accused of a crime of this nature.
WOW. Thanks goodness for DNA testing. Yeah, the old adage you are innocent until proven guilty is complete nonsense. It is the other way around. You are found guilty until proven innocent -such as the case in this situation. I don’t doubt this child was molested, however, not by this man. And yes, I think we have too many cowboys out there who call themselves law enforcement. I know there are a great number of LEO that are doing a bang-up job. But, the issue is, if someone accuses you of a crime, or the LEO wants to accuse you of something, it is your responsiblity to prove your innocence-that’s not how it should be. The judicial system, is just as bad. The judges see these worthless, arrests as”job security.” This type of accusation and the sensation news coverage of someone who was accursed of child molestation can ruin a person’s life. Get the facts first.. Im glad the child came forward, but the cops should have done some fact-finding prior to ruining this man’s life.
Thank you for posting this story. It is good to know that this news outlet will let the people in the community know that this man was falsely accused.
It is too easy for people to take an accusation or an arrest as proof of guilt. I hope this man’s friends, family, and neighbors can look at him as they did before these charges.
I am wondering if this man was even given an apology?
Who’s going to say sorry to this man for falsely accusing him for child sexual molestation, the sheriffs office? No, they convicted him the moment he was a “suspect”. The States Attorney for bringing charges and wanting to send him to jail for the rest of his life? No, their just doing its job. The newspapers for posting his pictures and reporting the alleged crime? No, Is the victims family going to make a public apology to this man, no they hated him and still disbelieve the evidence.
Who is going to give this man back his former life, without suspect and without people still thinking, Yeah he did it, no matter what the evidence/DNA says.
Mr. Leldon Howard Bibby, I’m sorry.
@ Concerned – I don’t think the child is lying. But at six years old it could have been someone who “looks” like this man. The DNA must show something, NOT that she wasn’t molested, just not by this man. The police probably already know “who” but don’t want to make another gaffe. Hopefully whoever did it will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. And I don’t see anyone here blaming the victim for anything.
All it takes is an allegation and an older gentleman being arrested with a picture in a green jump suit and he is convicted by the court of public opinion and his life is virtually ruined from there. It doesn’t matter if he is cleared by DNA he is tagged as a CHILD MOLESTER and although he would try to hold his head up high to show his innocence the public will always be against him as if he was convicted. The law jumps too fast in so many instances where they need to do a thorough no stone unturned investigation before an arrest is made rather than an allegation and a quick conclusion and arrest an innocent person and make that person suffer from the abuse and finger pointing the public can dish out and having to try to continue life like he should be able to. The POLICE need to be held accountable for their misconduct as well but mostly never because they are just doing their job.
This is a prime example of why police should not be able to release photos or names of mere suspects. Shoddy police work abounds. There is no excuse for putting an innocent man though such humiliation for months.
Some people are asking questions about what, if anything else, the DNS showed. We don’t know.
Under Florida law, much or all of the information is not public record either because it’s still an active investigation or because it’s an alleged sexual assault of a juvenile case where most information is redacted by law from the reports we see.
It says HIS DNA was not found on the girls clothing. ???? Does that mean that some one else’s DNA was on the clothing, or that no DNA was on her clothing. Was she or wasn’t she a victim?
Not to mention property damaged. Imagine they kicked this mans door in to get him on the arrest warrant. The police department won’t pay for the door they won’t secure his property etc.. I had a search warrant executed erroneously once two doors were destroyed, holes were knocked in walls etc… The place was left wide open so anyone could have walked away with whatever they wanted. Thankfully I had neighbors looking at. But you know what I had to repair the damages and eat the expense. I am stilling waiting for an apology that will never come.
They need to do a faster DNA test
Ok.. who does the DNA they found belong to??????
I am glad he was cleared. I remember a time in this nation when you weren’t arrested and had your name dragged through the mud. It used to be investigate and then arrest. Not its arrest and then build a case against who you arrested. I think its high time the police start conducting thorough investigations again before arresting someone. The witch hunt has got to stop because now who knows where the real culprit is.
Thankful he was vindicated through the scientific method b/c due to “witch hunt and mob mentality” that follows these cases he would have NEVER gotten a fair trial in our criminal justice system!
This is crazy! She has no reason to lie about something like this. Myself being a victim of child molestation I know speaking up is a hard thing to do and when you do and nothing is done about and you get blamed it’s feel like they have won! I don’t agree with the way they handle child molesters. I just pray for this child and her family I know she will be forever haunted by this, as I know I still am! I have children of my on now and it saddens me to think of how this world is and is getting worse!
Glad to hear it, another falsely accused man released because of DNA evidence.
It don’t matter…the damage to the man is done. In todays world we I find it so easy to prejudge a person and drag your feet on evidence to punish the person as guilty without a trail.
It didn’t take from last April to do and conclude a DNA test if it was positive or negative.
I understand protecting a child..but this mans punishment had already began before the trail.
Perhaps using that DNA they can find the right culprit.
Sometimes all is not what it seems to be. Glad we have DNA testing. It proves or disproves charges. I don’t personally know this man but everyone should have a fair trial and fair investigation.