By Heather Grossmann
DNAinfo News Editor
MANHATTAN — A man who confessed to mugging a 3-year-old girl in East Harlem and leaving her with bruises after he ripped a gold chain from her neck was acquitted of all charged Wednesday by a Manhattan jury.
Anthony Faison, 33, admitted that he approached the child, Mariah Rodriguez, on the 13th floor of her apartment building at 60 E. 106th St. in June, 2009 and snatched the necklace from her, court documents said.
But despite the confession and DNA evidence from Faison found on the little girl's dress, his lawyer argued successfully that the case against his client just didn't add up, the New York Post reported.
The lawyer said that the DNA evidence found was so microscopic that it could have somehow made it onto the dress by accident — perhaps Rodriguez came into contact with Faison's spit in the courtyard, the lawyer said — or a lab mistake may have caused the positive identification of Faison, the Post reported.
The suspect also testified that he was coerced into his confession. He said police warned him that unless he admitted to stealing the chain from the girl, they would charge him with sexual assault.
The jury was convinced, and Faison was acquitted of the charges of assault, robbery and endangering the welfare of a child.
