He was found guilty by the jury, and Judge J. William Hinkel sentenced Bloodsworth to death. However, before the trial the police did not disclose they had another suspect in the slaying, a newspaper deliveryman who had helped search for the missing girl and found her underpants. And in 1986, an appeals court ruled that authorities should have disclosed the information about the other suspect to the defense, so Bloodsworth was tried again in April 1987. This time, his lawyer chose not to put Bloodsworth or his alibi witnesses on the stand. This time, Judge James T. Smith sentenced Bloodsworth to life after the jury found him guilty.
Inmates hold child molesters and killers in special disdain.
You're the last man on that totem pole, that hierarchy. In 1992, Bloodsworth had a new attorney, Robert E. Morin, who was court-appointed to help Bloodsworth with his appeals. Morin arranged to have some of the evidence sent to California for a type of DNA testing not available in 1984. The tests showed that semen found on Dawn's underwear did not belong to Bloodsworth. A second test, performed by the FBI, later would confirm the initial test.