Man convicted in 2006 murder says he hopes his cousin's confession will set him free

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — One of two men convicted in a 2006 murder has been transferred from prison to the Orange County Jail while he awaits a hearing because of a written confession penned by his cousin.

The murder could be revisited in court this month because, in a written affidavit from Live Oak's Suwannee Correctional Institution, Terrance Cobb's cousin, Timmy Lee Cobb, confessed to killing Rajon Davis during a robbery in Maitland -- a murder for which Terrance Cobb has already served 12 years.

Terrance Cobb's defense attorneys now seek a new trial.

Channel 9's Steve Barrett spoke to Terrance Cobb by phone from the Orange County Jail, where he's being held.

Terrance Cobb said he seeks justice after serving 12 years for a crime he didn't commit, but former Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. said his cousin's confession can't be taken at face value.

"One of the first things you're going to look at is the contents of the statement. You're going to look at that person's motivation," Perry said. "You're going to look at the evidence that convicted the other person who is now claiming to be innocent."

A judge must ask if there are too many red flags with one cousin taking the fall for another, Perry said.

"Of course, red flags go off," he said. "But you have to look at it to make sure that you don't have an innocent man in prison."

Terrance Cobb said that he's hopeful a new trial will be granted during a March 26 hearing.

Darryl White, the other man convicted in the case, also seeks a new trial because he claims the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has new DNA evidence in the case.

The judge seems inclined to listen to that argument if White, who's representing himself, files the necessary paperwork.

Cox Media Group