BALTIMORE — A man who spent more than three decades behind bars for a double murder he denies committing is suing Harford County and four deceased officials for alleged false arrest, imprisonment, and malicious prosecution.
Back in January 2023 former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan issued a full pardon for John Huffington related to the 1981 Abingdon murders of Diane Becker and Joseph Hudson.
After his first conviction was overturned in 1982, Huffington was again found guilty, resulting in a 30 plus year prison sentence.
Huffington's lawyers blamed the outcome on former, now deceased, Harford County State's Attorney, Joseph Cassilly.
An FBI agent who testified against Huffington at trial was also deemed unqualified.
A key pieces of evidence used to convict Huffington was a sliver of hair.
The FBI agent swore under oath it was Huffington's, but the U.S. Department of Justice later said DNA examination was not the expertise of that agent.
According to Huffington's attorneys Casilly knew this to be the case but withheld it from the defense during trial.
Huffington's team later asked for further analysis of the hair, yet were denied by Casilly's office.
A judge overturned Casilly and ordered the hair to undergo DNA testing.
In May 2013 Huffington got his prior convictions tossed when the test showed the hair wasn't his.
Two months later he was finally released from prison.
Still not out of the woods, Huffington was ordered to stand trial a third time.
In 2017 his lawyers finally agreed to an Alford Plea, which does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence to convict.
A judge eventually sentenced Huffington to time served and unsupervised probation, allowing him to remain free.
RELATED: A man's 40-year fight to clear his name of two murders he claims to have never committed
In October of 2021 the Supreme Court of Maryland disbarred Cassilly in large part over his dishonesty in Huffington's case.
It was this chain of events that led Huffington to sue last week.
Only one defendant remains alive, a former Harford County Sheriff's deputy who took part in Huffington's arrest.
Two of the deceased parties don't have estate representatives, however Huffington is asking a federal judge to appoint one.
Huffington is requesting a jury to award him compensatory and punitive damages.
The lawsuit can be viewed below.
