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Double Murder Case Remains Open Despite Confession

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- While the city of Philadelphia has settled a lawsuit for $750,000 brought by a West Philadelphia man who spent four-years in prison for a double murder for which he was later cleared, the man who confessed has not been charged.

Defense attorney Greg Pagano recalls when his client, now 28-year-old Nafis Pinkney was charged in the 2009 murders of his best friend and the victim's girlfriend, police suspected that he was the last person to see them alive.

"He had gone down to Homicide as a witness. He didn't leave. He was charged," he said.

Pinkney was acquitted in 2013, but filed a lawsuit against two homicide detectives, whom the defense claimed coerced him to give a false confession.

Last year, another man, James Barrow confessed to killing them, as well as a third victim a week earlier.

Barrow is still awaiting trial in the third killing, but not the double murder.

Pagano points out police initially theorized because of the manner in which the victims were killed, it was the same gunmen.

"Given the evidence in the case, I would think that they would charge Mr. Barrow," he said.

Pagano says the surviving families of the victims want closure.

"Barrow not only confessed to it, but the ballistics from both scenes matched as well," he said.

A spokesman for the DA's office responded by saying he "could not comment on whom the office chooses to charge and not charge."

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