DICKSON, Tenn. (WTVF) — It is a case that continues to haunt so many: The murder of Joe Clyde Daniels.
The little boy's body has never been found, but his father is serving life in prison for murder. With Joseph Daniels' appeals exhausted, there's a new development that could re-open the case.
A jury found Joseph Daniels guilty of killing his 5-year-old son Joe Clyde.
The Sixth Circuit Court just denied his appeal, and now the case may well be on the radar of an organization that looks for wrongful convictions.
"As to the charge of first-degree murder in the perpetration of felony crime, how does the jury find?" asked the judge.
The verdict came down nearly four years ago in Dickson County.
"Guilty sir," replied the jury.
Joseph Daniels is serving 51 years in prison.
"We had a lot of reversible errors in the trial, so he advised he wants to pursue an appeal," said Daniels' attorney Jake Lockert.
He appealed without success. The appellate court rejected the argument that Daniels received an unfair trial.
"Why did I kill my son? Why did I kill my son," asked Daniel in a video confession shown to the jury at trial.
Defense attorney Lockert has long argued that his client's confession was coerced.
Daniels had recanted before trial, and there was no evidence to support his original claim that he killed Joe Clyde. Lockert says the Innocence Project expressed an interest in the case.
He says the organization, which looks for those wrongfully convicted, had contacted his office to say they would like to discuss Daniels' case.
The Innocence Project did not respond to our request for comment. Lockert says the organization has not yet decided if it will take the case.
It's possible they will still wait to see if the state Supreme Court agrees to hear the case.
Lockert says that's a long shot.
But he believes there's video proof the confession was coerced and without it Daniels never would have been convicted.
Daniels is serving a life sentence.
Joe Clyde's mother Krystal pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse and received a 15-year sentence.
Neither parent has ever revealed what happened to Joe Clyde's body.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nick.beres@newschannel5.com
A lesson in never giving up: Jack's story will have you believing dreams really can come true. It's so uplifting to hear those around him talk about his determination and then to see it rewarded. Not many teens would email coaches every week just to hear a 'no,' but Jack did. And eventually, it all pays off.
-Rebecca Schleicher
