A Vermont man who confessed to murdering his friend to police will not face jail time.
According to the Huffington Post, 28-year-old Isaac Turnbaugh confessed to killing friend and co-worker Declan Lyons in 2004 but the police say there is nothing they can do about it.
Authorities are claiming that Turnbaugh is protected under the fifth amendment since he was already acquitted of the charges.
“He could have turned over a video tape of him committting the murder and it wouldn’t change the fact that double jeopardy is attached,” said Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell. “We had our chance. The jury acquitted him and just in the same way OJ could confess today to his wife’s murder, it wouldn’t affect what could be done to him.”
Lyons, 24, was found dead in 2002 while working outside of American Flatbread restaurant in Vermont. The victim had reportedly been working in the kitchen when he heard a loud popping noise and went outside. He was later found dead on the ground with a head wound. Sorrell said at at the time of the murder the defendant owned a 30-30 rifle,which could have been the weapon used.
Turnbaugh was originally thought to be a suspect when six others claimed he bragged about killing his co-worker. When confronted he denied the accusations, calling Lyons a “good buddy.”
During the trial for the case in 2004, Turnbaugh was found not guilty of murder after a five-hour deliberation.
Despite the confession, Turnbaugh’s prior attorney Kurt Hughes says it won’t change anything.
“He’s mentally ill. He made similar so-called confessions before the trial, so it’s nothing new. It’s part of his illness [and] it sounds like he’s having a relapse of some sort.”
Sorrell compared this murder trial to be similar to the recent Casey Anthony trial.
“Let’s take the Casey Anthony case. Even if she confesses to Barbara Walters, Oprah or Larry Flynt, for that matter, double jeopardy would preclude charging or prosecuting her again,” said Sorrell. “It’s a terrible tragedy but he has a to live with what, in fact, he has done.”
