Supporters of Accused Killer Hold Rally in Fort Lauderdale

Supporters of accused killer Dayonte Resiles held a rally at Guthrie-Blake Park in Fort Lauderdale Saturday afternoon, as they attempted to bring attention to a case they say was completely mishandled.

Resiles is currently behind bars, charged with the 2014 murder of Jill Halliburton. But, his advocates say there were two victims that night, one of them being Resiles.

“I believe Dayonte Resiles did not murder this woman. I believe her killer is still out there on the loose," Chris Thompson says. He was the main advocate who put the rally together.

Thompson first heard of Resiles after his daring escape from the Broward courthouse in July of 2016. He used secreted handcuff key to unshackle himself, leap out of a jury box and out of the courthouse to a waiting getaway car.

When asked why an innocent man would escape, Thompson said, ""When you're going through those factors and they're trying to give you the death penalty and everything, I mean, he has a fighting soul, he has the spirit of our ancestors, he's going to fight. So (Resiles thinks), 'Let me get up out of here, let me fight and let me try to prove my own innocence.'"

Prosecutors say they found Resiles' DNA on the murder weapon located just outside the victim's home.

Local

Ron DeSantis 50 mins ago

Gov. DeSantis set to hold news conference in Naples Tuesday morning

South Florida 3 hours ago

Heavy rain? We tell you what the weather will look like in Miami-Dade and Broward

But, Thompson and others questioning Resiles' guilt note the sheriff's DNA lab has had problems before.

“The court system in Broward County, especially the public defenders office, is a complete disgrace," Thompson says. "We have too many individuals, they have people to plead out to anything just to get a conviction and it’s especially with people of color.”

The state attorney's office declined to comment Friday on Resiles' case.

As of now, no trial date has been set.