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A Georgia man who spent over 26 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit has filed a federal lawsuit against the county and law enforcement officials, alleging they framed him for the accidental death of his friend during a game of Russian roulette.

Cain Storey, who was released from prison in 2022 after his conviction for the 1996 shooting of 15-year-old Brian Bowling was overturned, claims in his lawsuit that Floyd County detectives fabricated evidence, coerced false testimonies, and hid inappropriate relationships with key witnesses to wrongfully convict him and his friend Darrell "Lee" Clark.

Storey, who was 17 at the time of Bowling’s death, states that the actions of the detectives led to his wrongful arrest, conviction, and the deprivation of his rights for more than two decades. He is seeking damages for the physical, emotional, and financial harm he has suffered as a result of these actions.

The lawsuit also points to a broader issue within Floyd County, alleging that the county was aware of a pattern of constitutional violations by the police department but failed to train or supervise its officers adequately. Storey argues that this lack of oversight contributed to the miscarriage of justice.

The case stems from an incident on October 18, 1996, when Bowling died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during a game of Russian roulette at his home. Storey brought a revolver to Bowling’s house, and the two boys began playing with it. While on the phone with his girlfriend, Bowling loaded the gun, spun the chamber, and fatally shot himself.

However, Floyd County detectives Dallas Battle and David Stewart allegedly created a narrative suggesting that Storey had murdered Bowling. They claimed the shooting was a revenge killing orchestrated by Storey and Clark, who were supposedly members of a gang called the Free Birds. According to the lawsuit, the detectives went so far as to exhume Bowling’s body and alter a note left by his friends, changing the word “narcs” to suggest the shooting was linked to a prior crime.

Additionally, Storey claims the detectives pressured Angela Bruce, a witness, to falsely testify that Storey had confessed to the murder. Bruce was allegedly threatened with the removal of her children unless she cooperated. Furthermore, the detectives are accused of coercing a sexual relationship with Bruce. They also allegedly obtained false testimony from a hearing-impaired and nearly illiterate man to further implicate Storey and Clark. The county coroner, who didn’t hold a medical license, allegedly conducted a sham autopsy and charged the Bowling family for an autopsy that was never performed.

The wrongful conviction was ultimately exposed when investigative podcasters Susan Simpson and Jacinda Davis, hosts of the true crime podcast Proof, uncovered the evidence that led to Storey’s release in December 2022. After filing motions for a new trial, Storey and Clark were freed when their convictions were overturned, with the Georgia Innocence Project supporting their efforts.

Storey’s lawsuit targets former Floyd County coroner Craig Burnes, former officers David Stewart and Mark Wallace, and the executor of Detective Battle’s estate. His legal team, including Sam Starks and Wolfgang Mueller, is seeking accountability for the damage caused by these alleged actions.

Counsel for Storey has not yet commented on the suit, and Floyd County officials and the other defendants have not responded to requests for comment.

The case is Storey v. Floyd County et al., filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.