One of the best comeback stories of late has to be the case of a New York man recently exonerated of rape and murder. The man was convicted when he was just 16 and released from prison after serving 16 years of a sentence for a crime he did not commit. This very man went back to school and has just earned his Master's Degree in Criminal Justice.
The man was accused of raping and murdering a teenage girl even though the DNA evidence did not match. How was he convicted? Police interrogated him for lengthy periods of time and didn't give him any food. Without his parents or legal counsel present, police finally wore him down enough to confess to the crime.
A convicted criminal can become exonerated through a number of different avenues. This man fought for his innocence by way of The Innocence Project. This organization investigates cases of convicted criminals and presents evidence to get wrongfully-convicted inmates released.
Even though this man was eventually released, he had spent the past 16 years of his life behind bars, a pivotal 16 years at that. The New York man was convicted when he was just a boy, and served out the rest of his teenage years and his 20s in prison. When he was finally released, he said that adjusting to life was difficult.
In an attempt to make adjusting easier, he decided to return to school, eventually making his way to Master's courses in criminal justice. He said that he wants a career that he can use to help other wrongfully convicted individuals like him. For his wrongful conviction, the man received an $8 million settlement. With this money, he hopes to establish a foundation similar to The Innocence Project, the organization that helped free him.
Rape and murder are extremely serious charges. Both are felony offenses that could have resulted in serious lifetime consequences. Although the death penalty was declared unconstitutional in the state of New York, this man likely would have been in prison for life had it not been for his exoneration.
This man was convicted when he was just a boy because he didn't have an attorney present to ensure that his rights were not being violated. The New York criminal defense attorneys at Musa-Obregon Law PC are passionate about justice. Our goal is to help people like this man so that they are not wrongfully convicted. We fight for justice, and we fight to expose injustice wherever it is present.
If you or a loved one has been arrested for a crime, be sure that you understand your rights. Discuss your case with a New York criminal defense lawyer from our firm today. You have the right to remain silent and you have the right to legal counsel. We encourage you to use those rights by contacting Musa-Obregon Law PC.