An Ohio man convicted of murder is getting a new trial later this month. But before his big day in court, he walked down the aisle to marry the sister of the man he is accused of killing.
This week, Crystal Straus became Crystal Tiedjen, marrying John Tiedjen at his Cleveland home.
John was convicted of her brother Brian McGary back in 1987.
"I love him obviously, if I didn't love him I would no be sitting here with him,” Crystal said.
After 32 years behind bars, Cuyahoga County Judge Dick Ambrose threw out John’s murder conviction in June and granted him a new trial after his defense attorney submitted dozens of crime photos and police reports that weren’t seen in the original trial.
That’s when Crystal wrote a letter to John, offering her forgiveness and belief that he didn’t kill her brother.
"And I wrote her a letter back and I said I didn't do it, take a look at this stuff,” John said.
John is still on house arrest awaiting a new trial, hoping the court will allow him to get the surgery he says he needs to save the sight in his left eye.
"From a legislative perspective, we need to do something with the parole board,” John’s attorney Kimberley Kendall-Corral said.
Kendall-Corral says Ohio judicial reform is needed to speed-up how quickly hearings are granted for those who are fighting to prove their innocence.
"We need to give defendants a full and fair opportunity to present evidence that wasn't available at the time of trial, whatever the reason was,” Kendall-Corral said.
While Ohio Innocence Project program director Pierce Reed is hoping the state will adopt new rules of criminal procedure that would give a specific path in assisting with motions for a new trial.
"It would give a track that will really help, hopefully, people with the innocence claims, having the better opportunity to be heard,” Reed said.
Meanwhile, John and Crystal realize the path for John’s permanent freedom won’t be easy.
"We'll get through this. It's going to be challenging. There's no doubt about it,” Crystal said.
The first hearing in John’s re-trial is currently set for Aug. 31.