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BSO Bailiff Cleared Of Attempted Murder: 'It Was A Total Nightmare'

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FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) — A Broward Sheriff's Office court bailiff, wrongly accused of a vicious crime and now cleared, is trying to reclaim his name and job.

"I've been telling them from day one it wasn't me," BSO Court Bailiff Kendrick Busby said. "To be placed in handcuffs and spend 15 days in jail, it was a total nightmare."

The nightmare began in March when Busby was arrested and charged with trying to murder Mia Tomasello.

Tomasello was stabbed repeatedly and spent days in the hospital.

She claimed Busby picked her up at a gas station at 1300 NW 79th Street and became violent when she demanded cash up front for sex and insisted he use protection.

She gave Miami-Dade police a partial tag on her assailant's car but Busby's lawyers said detectives got everything wrong.

"They didn't check to see if blood was in the car, didn't run a Sunpass, his phone records," his lawyer said. "Mr. Busby was not there."

The car you see in the surveillance is not his. Busby's SUV has different trim.

And Tomasello said her attacker was a much bigger man.

"I never knew the shame and humiliation sitting on the other side, especially for something you didn't do," Busby said.

Busby's wife, Octavia, said she "never doubted him."

"He was with me that night, but I would never doubt him anyways, it's not his character."

But how do you undo the damage?

"I coach football and now I have to deal with how people look at me," Busby said.

And now he says he'll see the defendants in his courtroom in a whole different light.

"When someone says they are innocent, don't prejudge them," Busby said.  "Find out if they are guilty or not guilty."

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