USA - Texas. Michael Scott and Robert Springsteen have been released from Jail

Michael Scott and Robert Springsteen have been released from Jail. State District Judge Mike Lynch this morning ordered defendants Michael Scott and Robert Springsteen released from jail on personal recognizance bonds pending trial after postponing Scott's previously scheduled July 6 re-trial at prosecutors’ request. Scott, 35, and Springsteen, 34, were convicted in the death of a girl, Amy Ayers, 13. Scott was sentenced to life in prison, and Springsteen was originally sent to death row. However, both convictions were overturned on appeal pending their new trials. New DNA tests on evidence from the victims – using technology not available in 1991 – revealed the presence of an unknown male. Defense attorneys say that proves Scott's and Springsteen's innocence. Prosecutors insist the DNA does not exonerate them as suspects and both still face capital murder charges. Lynch's order came during a hearing for Scott's retrial, which was scheduled for July 6. Prosecutors asked that the trial be delayed until 2010 while they try to determine the source of the DNA. Although Springsteen had not yet been scheduled for retrial, the judge ordered both men released and they walked out of the Travis County Jail about 5 hours later. Ayers; Eliza Thomas, 17; and sisters Jennifer and Sarah Harbison, ages 17 and 15, were bound, gagged and shot in the head at the "I Can't Believe It's Yogurt" store where two of them worked. The building then was set afire. Springsteen, Scott and 2 other men were arrested in 1999. Charges against the two others were dropped, and they are not implicated by the new DNA test. Scott and Springsteen were tried separately in 2001 and 2002. The convictions were overturned because in each case, the defense had been unable to cross-examine the co-defendant about his purported confession. Springsteen, who was 17 when the girls were killed, had been sentenced to death, but the U.S. Supreme Court later banned execution of defendants who were juveniles at the time of the crime. Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg said investigators have conducted at least 100 new DNA tests and need more time to keep testing. She said the DNA evidence doesn't exonerate Scott and Springsteen and suggested a previously unknown 5th suspect participated with them in the crime.