The men had spent more than 20 years in prison following their convictions in the December 1996 deaths of Ira Epstein, owner of a check-cashing business, and Officer Charles Davis, who was working a sideline as security for the business at the time.
Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz and defense attorneys had filed a motion to have the convictions overturned after an investigation found that an account from another man who implicated himself and his fellow gang members in the killings, as well as the mental health records of someone who implicated Bell, Johnson and Bolt, were not turned over to defense lawyers.
“Our office does not overturn convictions lightly, and this is a tragic case that has affected many lives,” Katz said in a statement. “But a fair and accurate trial depends on both prosecutors and defense attorneys knowing all of the evidence so that the jury can make an informed decision about the guilt or innocence of a defendant.”
Katz said her office would be reexamining the evidence to see whether the indictments against the men should be dropped.
I hope the prosecutors are charged with obstruction or something. They should not be able to just get by with this stuff. Just like police who doctor evidence. That is basically what they did if this is true.
The government is now the criminal unlawful detainment. They have been hostages
took all this time?
Hmm, I am a little skeptical about the so called facts that were withheld at trial. A statement from a convicted criminal trying to use information for leverage for a reduced sentence is to reliable by its self. I need more information, before I can accept the decision.
This racism in handing out punishment must stop.
Damn, sounds like some shit KamalaHarris would do.
It's common. They should be held accountable removed from their jobs. They literally stole these men's freedom deliberately! They also need to pay restitution to these man. Police aren't the only problem.
Law and justice are not always the same. -- Gloria Steinem
20-years for a crime they didn't commit. What this prosecutor did should be considered criminal.
And nothing will happen to those prosecutors despite the fact that they maliciously took 20 years from the lives of 3 innocent men. If we all believe that punishing wrongdoing is one way to prevent it, how come we never apply that to police and prosecutors?
This seems to have happened way too many times.
I’ve never understood why prosecutors would want to send an innocent person to jail.
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