Philip Vance continues fight for exoneration in South St. Paul murder
Push to free man convicted in MN murder
A petition to free a convicted murderer from prison is now in its final stages of preparation, 22 years after the murder in the Twin Cities metro. On Sunday, Philip Vance placed a call from MCF-Rush City to the South St. Paul intersection where 25-year-old store clerk Khaled Al Bakri was shot dead during an armed robbery at Sabreen’s Supermarket.
SOUTH ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A petition to free a convicted murderer from prison is now in its final stages of preparation, 22 years after the murder in the Twin Cities metro.
On Sunday, Philip Vance placed a call from MCF-Rush City to the South St. Paul intersection where 25-year-old store clerk Khaled Al Bakri was shot dead during an armed robbery at Sabreen’s Supermarket.
Philip Vance conviction
The backstory: Vance was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2004 killing. Now, he is fighting for a full exoneration, claiming an eyewitness recanted their testimony, and the Metro Gang Strike Force was corrupt.
"They snatched him up. He didn’t think that it would be 22 years later that we would be fighting for his innocence," Jason Sole said. "We want him home. He should’ve been home a long time ago, but we’re fighting to get this thing back to the court."
Philip Vance future
What we know: Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena will play a significant role in what happens next for Vance. On Sunday, FOX 9 reached out to her office for comment, but unfortunately, we have yet to hear back.
"Soon, hopefully the courts will see that the evidence supports my innocence, and hopefully I’ll be exonerated," Philip Vance said. "I just want the world to know that I’m innocent. I have no knowledge of the crime that took place or what happened."