Juror speaks out on Ralph Wright case, Florida Supreme Court reverses murder conviction

Posted: May 12, 2017 / 06:03 PM EDT

Updated: May 12, 2017 / 06:03 PM EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla (WFLA) — When Eric Mullins learned the State Supreme Court had thrown out Ralph Wright Jr.’s convictions and sentences, he lost sleep.

Mullins is one of the jurors who sat through the month-long trial, poured over pages of evidence and reviewed testimony before he and other members found Wright guilty. He calls the supreme court’s decision upsetting.

“I’m sorry, but we think you got it wrong. That just doesn’t sit well with me,” said Mullins. “And I hope it doesn’t sit well with a lot of people.”

Paula O’Conner and her son Alijah’s bodies were discovered on July 6, 2007 in her home. She had been strangled to death, Alijah suffocated.

Investigators interviewed Wright after learning about his relationship with O’Conner. Wright initially denied being Alijah’s father, but detectives told Wright DNA evidence proved he was. Wright was eventually arrested, charged and convicted of the murders.

In the opinion, the justices wrote, “there is no fingerprint, footprint, blood, fiber pattern impression or other physical evidence tying Wright to the crime scene. There is no cell tower evidence placing him in the vicinity of the crime scene. There is no murder weapon. The only evidence presented by the State to prove that Wright was the murderer is the fact that he had motive and opportunity.”

Mullins believes Wright was manipulative and even convinced his own attorneys of his innocence.

“He’s manipulated people his entire life. I mean, and that’s what he does,” said Mullins. “And in the jury room, that’s what we concluded.”

Mullins feels he and the other 11 jurors who were in that room did the right thing and made the correct decision. Now, he wonders if this reversal will have an effect on future cases.

“I’m still a hundred percent sure that he did it, but now I can’t say I’m a hundred percent sure of our system anymore.”

Ralph Wright Jr. is not yet a free man. The Attorney Generals office still has time to file a request for the State Supreme Court to re-review its opinion.