Nationwide — Danyel Smith, an African American father from Gwinnett County, Georgia, has been released from prison after spending about 24 years behind bars for the death of his 2-month-old son, Chandler, over alleged “shaken baby syndrome.” A judge recently granted him a $100,000 bond after vacating his 2003 murder conviction. Smith is now back with his family under strict house arrest while prosecutors appeal the decision.
The bond came weeks after a Gwinnett County Superior Court judge ruled that new evidence could give a jury reasonable doubt about Smith’s conviction. The ruling returned him to pre-trial status while the case moves through the appeals process. According to Fox 5 Atlanta, he must live with his longtime partner, LaTasha Pyatt, in Clayton County and wear a GPS ankle monitor. He can leave home only for medical emergencies or meetings with his legal team.
The judge also imposed a strict no-contact order. Smith cannot communicate directly or indirectly with Chandler’s mother, Marsha Brandon, or her immediate family. Prosecutors had opposed his release, pointing to a 1999 misdemeanor, alleged inconsistencies in statements he made in 2002, and the possibility of flight because he is facing a homicide charge. His attorneys argued that he has no felony record, strong family ties, and a clean prison record spanning thousands of days without a disciplinary violation.
The fight to overturn Smith’s conviction began after years of maintaining that he did not kill his son. In 2023, prosecutors offered him a deal that would have allowed him to leave prison after serving his time if he pleaded guilty. Smith rejected it because he refused to admit to a crime he said he did not commit. His attorneys instead pursued a new trial based on developments in medical science that questioned the “shaken baby syndrome” diagnosis at the center of the original case.
The defense presented eight medical experts in 2024 who said Chandler’s death was more likely caused by complications related to his premature birth than physical abuse. A trial court initially rejected the request for a new trial, but the Supreme Court of Georgia unanimously ordered the court in October 2025 to reconsider the evidence under the proper legal standard. That eventually led to the July 21 ruling vacating Smith’s murder conviction and life sentence.
Smith’s attorneys said he became emotional during the proceedings after spending decades in prison and losing his son. His release allowed him to reunite with his family, although his legal fight is not over. The state is appealing the decision, and Smith’s attorneys estimate that the process could take up to a year. A potential retrial will remain on hold until the appeal is resolved.