Death Row inmate Melvin Bonnell is far closer to being executed than gaining his freedom after a DNA test confirmed that he is the likely killer of a Cleveland man more than 20 years ago.
Forensic experts discovered the victim's DNA on the jacket Bonnell was wearing on the night of the murder. Bonnell, 51, was convicted in 1988 of murdering 23-year-old Robert Bunner.
Bonnell, a Cleveland native, had run out of appeals when he began the DNA testing process and now could be scheduled for execution as early as spring. The victim's DNA was found on several stains, thought to be blood, on the front, back and sleeves of the jacket, according to the lab report. Those findings left prosecutors to conclude that Bonnell is guilty.
"Melvin Bonnell wanted DNA testing to make sure we had the right man, and we agreed," said Ryan Miday, a spokesman for the Cuyahoga County prosecutor's office. "The DNA results remove any uncertainty that Bonnell murdered Robert Bunner."
However, Ohio Public Defender Kim Rigby, Bonnell's attorney, said the report also shows that other stains were inconclusive. The tests were conducted by DNA Diagnostics, a Cincinnati-based lab.
"We still have some doubts and we are still going to fight his case," Rigby said. "There are still holes in this case."
Bunner's family members couldn't be reached for comment. Bonnell declined to speak with The Dispatch, but Rigby said his reaction was "disbelief." And despite the test results, Bonnell is continuing to do what he has done for more than two decades -- profess his innocence.
Rigby questions why there weren't more stains matching the victim, considering the bloody nature of the crime scene.
Witnesses said Bonnell shot Bunner in an apartment at point-blank range with a pistol and then pummeled him in the face more than 20 times. Bonnell, who said that he and a friend were bar-hopping the night of the murder, was later seen by police driving erratically. They chased Bonnell, who eventually crashed his car into a funeral home.
At the time of his conviction, prosecutors said Bonnell mistakenly attacked Bunner, thinking he was the boyfriend of his ex-girlfriend.
Before the murder conviction, Bonnell had previous convictions for robbery, abduction and carrying a concealed weapon.
Bonnell's case was highlighted by The Dispatch as part of "Test of Convictions," a series that revealed numerous failings in the state's DNA testing system.
Bonnell was among 30 inmates highlighted by the series as prime candidates for DNA testing. So far, two men connected with the series have been exonerated while two others, not counting Bonnell, have been proved guilty.
Bonnell originally applied for DNA testing in 2004 but was stymied when he was told that much of the evidence was either lost or destroyed. The jacket was discovered last year.
In an interview with The Dispatch last year, Bonnell said the DNA testing process would prove his innocence and spare him from being executed.
He also challenged prosecutors and police to "go find the real killer."
"You're looking for justice," he said. "Isn't what it's all about -- justice?"
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