Story perspectives

Austin Approves $35M Settlement for Wrongful-Conviction Yogurt Shop Case

5/13/2026

Summary

Story summary

Austin city reached a tentative $35 million settlement clearing Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen, Forrest Welborn and Maurice Pierce’s family of the 1991 yogurt-shop murders.
The payout could become the city’s largest wrongful-conviction settlement and may be financed through a loan or bond, affecting debt capacity but not the operating budget.
DNA and ballistic analysis later identified serial killer Robert Eugene Brashers as the perpetrator, prompting the exonerations.

History

Historical Context

In 1994 Judge David Burnett sentenced Damien Echols to death for the West Memphis murders. New DNA testing in 2007 showed crime-scene hair did not match the three teens, prompting the Arkansas Supreme Court to order evidentiary hearings in November 2010. The trio entered Alford pleas in August 2011, receiving time-served sentences of 18 years and 75 days and immediate release.

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Story summary

Austin city reached a tentative $35 million settlement clearing Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen, Forrest Welborn and Maurice Pierce’s family of the 1991 yogurt-shop murders.
The payout could become the city’s largest wrongful-conviction settlement and may be financed through a loan or bond, affecting debt capacity but not the operating budget.
DNA and ballistic analysis later identified serial killer Robert Eugene Brashers as the perpetrator, prompting the exonerations.

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