Former convict in famous Austin slayings seeks innocence

A man once on death row for the now still-unsolved slayings of four teenage girls a quarter-century ago in Austin returns to court this week trying to reinstate a lawsuit that seeks a declaration that he’s innocent.

Robert Springsteen was condemned in 2001 after he was convicted of capital murder for killing one of the victims in what became known as the Austin yogurt shop murders.

The convictions of Springsteen and a co-defendant, Michael Scott, later were overturned when the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals said the two were unfairly denied the chance to cross-examine each other. They had implicated each other in statements to investigators.

Travis County prosecutors say Springsteen remains a suspect and could be retried if additional evidence surfaces.

Springsteen’s lawyer, Broadus Spivey, tells the Austin American-Statesman (http://atxne.ws/1SlwMb3 ) that the unresolved case limits Springsteen to “common labor work” in West Virginia, where he moved since his release from prison.

Spivey is to argue before the 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin on Wednesday as Springsteen appeals a district court’s dismissal last year of a lawsuit that sought a court order declaring him innocent. State District Judge Darlene Byrne said she didn’t have the authority to make that decision. The appeal seeks to reinstate the lawsuit.

If he’s declared innocent, Springsteen could become eligible to collect $720,000 from a state fund earmarked for people wrongfully convicted. He’s already been turned down twice by the state comptroller, who manages the fund, and twice in state and federal courts.

Two 17-year-olds, Jennifer Harbison and Eliza Thomas, worked at the I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt store. Jennifer’s 15-year-old sister, Sarah, and a 13-year-old friend, Amy Ayers, also were there the night of Dec. 6, 1991, when the store was set on fire.

Firefighters poured thousands of gallons of water on it before anyone realized there were bodies inside.

The four were found bound, gagged and shot in the head.

Police chased thousands of leads and received several false confessions. Springsteen, Scott and two other men were arrested in 1999, but charges against the other two were eventually dropped.