FORREST CITY, AR (abc24.com) - For the first time in four years, Reginald Davis, 22, is free on his birthday.
"It feels good, I'm glad to be out on my birthday," Davis said outside his mother's Forrest City home.
Davis spent 803 days in jail while awaiting trial, following his September 2008 arrest on a charge he raped an 8-day-old infant.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the infant's injuries were so severe she required surgery. Investigators focused on Davis, interviewing him later that day.
"He finally admitted that he caused the injuries to the child. However, he stated that it was an accident while he was cleaning the baby up," the affidavit states.
"The detective made me say that and stuff," Davis now says.
In February, Jennifer Collins, Davis' attorney, asked a judge to drop the charge because prosecutors had taken too long to bring the case to trial. Collins argued Davis has been denied his right to a speedy trial.
Last week, Circuit Judge L.T. Simes II agreed.
In a two-page opinion, Simes wrote, "The Court finds that speedy trial has run and the Court has lost jurisdiction to proceed in this case."
Not only were the charges dropped, they can't be re-filed.
"I hated that it happened, whoever who did, whatever happened, I wasn't there, I wish it hadn't happened to her and I'm sorry it happened that way," said Jacqueline Smith, Reginald's mother.
A woman at the victim's home declined to comment.
"We don't want to talk about it," the woman said as she slammed the door.
abc24.com called the judge and two prosecutors to find out what happened, but they did not return phone calls Thursday.
