Wrongfully Accused Found Innocent
“Everything was stripped away from me in life. Yeah. I'm mad at God. I'm-I'm-I'm mad at everybody,” explained Greg Kelley.
In a highly publicized trial, 18-year-old Greg, the Cedar Park, Texas football star on his way to a full scholarship, was found guilty of sexually assaulting two four-year-old boys … a crime he didn’t commit.
“I remember the screaming at how can this be happening? Uh, it was a – it was a nightmare,” recalled Greg. “It was the start of just a nightmare.”
Because Greg’s parents had medical issues and couldn’t drive, he stayed at the home of his best friend and teammate, Jonathan McCarty, who lived across the street from Leander High School. The two 18-year-olds had an uncanny resemblance. However, Greg was the only one suspected and questioned about the abuse that took place at the daycare run in the McCarty home by Jonathan’s mother. Greg was sentenced to 25 years with no parole.
“I'm asking God, ‘Man, if-if you're real, step in right now. I need a savior. I can't do this by myself.’ I'm crying out,” said Greg. Those who knew Greg couldn’t fathom he was guilty. Others, like concerned citizen, Jake Brydon, were convinced he got what he deserved. That was until he became aware of a different point of view.
“I started seeing people on Facebook just comment about how wrong it was,” explained Jake. “And I had a guy, called me and said, ‘Hey, man, uh have you heard about this Greg Kelley thing?’ And I said, ‘Man, I saw it last night. I just…’ He goes, ‘Dude, my daughter went to that trial every single day and he didn't do this.’"
Jake spoke to many others who knew Greg. Soon, he too was convinced that a good man had been wrongly convicted and decided something had to be done. Two days after the verdict, Jake brought hundreds of people to the county jail where Greg was being held.
“Complete strangers, as well as people of the community, were coming and rallying and-and-and just chanting, ‘Free GK. Free GK.’ It made me feel really good to know that we're getting somewhere, like people are fighting for me,” said Greg. “You know. I – there's-there's a reason to have hope now.”
Eventually Greg was taken to the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas where he found even more reason to have hope. “I felt like the Lord had my undivided attention now that I was sitting there getting to know Him, getting to know Jesus - who He was, and preparing me for the journey I'm about to face. And ultimately let me know that I'm going to be with you through it all,” stated Greg.
By now, Jake had hired defense attorney Keith Hampton to look deeper into Greg’s case. It didn’t take long to see that things weren’t adding up. Meanwhile, thousands were praying for Greg.
“There were prayers of me being free and my name being cleared,” recalled Greg. “There were prayers of me being able to get football back and play football. There were prayers with me getting my-my girlfriend back in, marrying her - not at the age of 45 when I would get out, but as a young man.”
Greg would spend the next three years imprisoned while waiting on a re-trial. He relied on God to get him through each day. During that time, his attorney, Mr. Hampton, made some disturbing findings such as a detective and prosecutor who were eager for a conviction, a mishandled police investigation, and no due process. He brought that information and evidence to the new district attorney who agreed to reopen the case.
On August 22nd, Mr. Hampton handed Greg a piece of paper saying that Judge Donna King had ruled that his case would go to the Texas Appeals Court. And there was one other thing.
“And I read it. And I'm - just start breaking down,” said Greg. “And it says, ‘Immediate Release.’ And man, it was, oh wow, it was uh – it was such a surreal moment. It was like – I-I asked – I asked Keith, I was like, ‘Man, are you for real?’”
But Greg’s fight for redemption wasn’t over yet. Out on bond, he went home to his family where he had to wait for a decision from the Appeals Court. “I just knew that tomorrow, I could get stripped away from everybody again and get thrown back into prison,” explained Greg.
Finally in November 2019, six years after he was found guilty, 24-year-old Greg Kelley appeared before Judge King. His conviction had been overturned and he was declared innocent of all charges.
“It was one of the most wonderful moments I've ever had in my life,” declared Greg. “I'm young, and I got a lot of life left to live.”
As of today, no one has been charged for sexually abusing the two boys, including former friend and look-alike Jonathon McCarty, who was later convicted of other sexual crimes. As far as Greg, he went on to play one season of college football at Eastern Michigan University. He married his high school sweetheart, Gaebri, started an axe throwing business, and is currently finishing a business degree at the University of Texas in Austin.
As tempting as it might be to hold bitterness against those who wronged him, Greg can only point to Jesus Christ.
“In prison, it's so crazy to say that prison is a place full of hate, but it's where I learned how to love,” said Greg. “And the more that I got to understand Jesus and what He did for me, right, bearing that cross, shedding His blood for me, for my sins. To choose to live the very best life in His reflection that I can, and that-that means forgiveness.”
To learn more about Greg's business, Tomahawk Targets, please visit https://www.tomahawktargetsatx.com/
