#JabarWalker has been exonerated in #Manhattan after spending more than 25 years wrongfully convicted for a double homicide. The Innocence Project and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's Post-Conviction Justice Unit conducted a joint reinvestigation, revealing new evidence of Walker's innocence. Walker was convicted in 1995 for murders linked to the # NYPD's corrupt "Dirty 30" precinct.
"We thank DA Bragg's Post-Conviction Justice Unit for a truly collaborative and transparent joint reinvestigation, which stands as a model for how post-conviction innocence claims can and should be investigated in a non-adversarial process. The joint reinvestigation, guided by a commitment to transparency and the ascertainment of truth, revealed a myriad of ways where the system failed Mr. Walker, and uncovered pervasive misconduct that led to his wrongful conviction and new evidence of what he has stated all along — he is innocent. He has now spent more than half of his life in prison for a crime he did not do," said Vanessa Potkin, Innocence Project's director of special litigation.
The reinvestigation unveiled police misconduct, witness pressure, and false testimonies. The prosecution's key eyewitness, Vanessa Vigo, misidentified another man and received undisclosed benefits. Other eyewitnesses, including Carlos Jimenez, contradicted the prosecution's narrative. Walker's defense was compromised by inexperienced counsel, and he faced a trial penalty, receiving a 50-year to life sentence after rejecting a nine-year plea deal. The exoneration sheds light on systemic failures and misconduct, highlighting the need for criminal justice reform.
Walker, now free, rebuilds his life with the support of the Innocence Project, emphasizing the significance of transparent post-conviction investigations and the impact of the trial penalty on innocent individuals who choose to assert their constitutional right to a trial.
The exoneration of Jabar Walker after 25 years of wrongful conviction for a Manhattan double homicide is a poignant illustration of the deep-rooted flaws in our criminal justice system. Walker's case reveals the systemic failures and misconduct plaguing our community for far too long. The joint reinvestigation by the Innocence Project and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's Post-Conviction Justice Unit underscores the need for transparent post-conviction investigations and the devastating consequences of the trial penalty on innocent individuals who assert their constitutional right to a trial.
Link: Innocence Project