Daniel Carter Adjusts To Normal Life


After spending over a year and a half in the Escambia County Jail,
Daniel Carter is trying to adjust to a normal life. On Friday the
teenager was acquitted of a first-degree murder charge. Sunday,
friends and family celebrated the Christmas and his 16th birthday
they spent apart. Daniel is still trying to adjust to freedom.

"Even after the verdict, it still didn't feel (like I was free),"
said Daniel. "Because you know when you're in jail you have a lot of
dreams about getting out and then you wake up and you're still in a
jail cell. It took me awhile to get over that."

His mom, Cindy, has already seen the affects the ordeal has had on
her son.

"Last night, he was getting dressed and I said 'what are you putting
in your pockets bud' and he just stopped cold and started emptying
his pockets out on the dresser and I said 'wait, Daniel this isn't a
shakedown,'" said Cindy.

In all, Daniel was in jail for 19 months before a jury set him free.

"That's a big part of me," said Daniel. "Somebody that is 40 years
old, 19 months might not seem too bad, but I would still be 15 if I
didn't go to jail and now I'm almost 17." Reporter: Do you feel like
you lost a lot? Daniel said, "I've gained more by knowing losses, by
understanding the losses."

Daniel hopes to get his G.E.D. and eventually enroll in classes at
Pensacola Junior College.

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