Eric Volz is not a murderer, says appeals court; freedom still in question

Talk radio hosts call for vigilante justice after immigrant's criminal conviction is overturned

The Tennessean is reporting here that the murder conviction of Nashvillian Eric Volz has been overturned, but that he may remain in the custody of Nicaraguan officials.

Volz, an American immigrant to Nicaragua, was running a bilingual magazine in that country when his ex-girlfriend was murdered late last year.

Earlier this year, Volz was convicted of the crime in what his family and U.S. officials deemed to be a sham affair clouded by anti-immigrant fervor (see related stories here and here).

From the Tennessean:

Joy gave way to worry hours after the Eric Volz family heard the 28-year-old had been freed from a Nicaraguan prison but remained in the country, where radio broadcasters called for vigilante justice against the American accused of killing his former girlfriend.

A Nicaraguan appeals court on Monday overturned Volz's conviction and 30-year prison sentence and ordered his release.

The Associated Press reported that Volz, of Nashville, had been freed from prison in the town of Granada, some 25 miles east of Managua, but the news service said his whereabouts were unknown.
...
A family spokeswoman and an official in Washington said Volz had not been released.

Update 12/21/07: AP reports Volz freed and headed for U.S.

Photo credit: FriendsofEricVolz.com