JJ Velazquez exonerated in killing of retired NYPD cop after 25 years

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More than 25 years aft a Bronx antheral was charged with sidesplitting a retired NYPD cop during a robbery, his condemnation was vacated Monday with the assistance of updated DNA testing.

Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez, 48, walked into Manhattan Supreme Court already a escaped man, his condemnation having been commuted successful 2021. But aft the proceeding concluded, with supporters applauding, helium pumped his fist, aboriginal wearing a chapeau emblazoned with the words “End of an Error”.

Before the exoneration, Velazquez told Variety helium would yet person the “scarlet letter” removed from his chest.

“It’s a batch deeper than discrimination,” helium said. “It comes down to diminishing a person’s quality dignity. I’m getting a portion of my dignity back.”

Jon-Adrian Velazquez, besides known arsenic "JJ" Velazquez, is pictured wrong `Manhattan Supreme Criminal Court adjacent to his lawyer minutes earlier getting his execution condemnation vacated.

Outside the courtroom, Velazquez’s parent recounted the years of holidays spent visiting her lad successful situation with his 2 young children successful tow, placing a lit lucifer successful a cupcake for each day alternatively of a candle.

“It was important for them to cognize who their begetter was due to the fact that helium was an guiltless antheral who had been wrongfully incarcerated,” said Maria Velazquez

“This is what they did to america — they tortured us, they made america suffer. But it’s implicit today.”

Velazquez greeted his supporters aft walking extracurricular tribunal holding hands with some his parent and his girlfriend.

“Who americium I? I’m a precise fortunate man. I’m fortunate that truthful galore radical believed successful me,” Velasquez said.

“The astir precious commodity successful this satellite is not golden oregon platinum oregon adjacent cash, it’s time, due to the fact that people’s lives are measured by the clip that we person connected this earth.”

On January 27, 1998, 2 men robbing a Harlem betting parlor got into a shootout with retired detective Albert Ward, 59, sidesplitting him. A antheral identifying himself arsenic “Tee” was said to beryllium the triggerman.

Police basal defender extracurricular 2337 Frederick Douglass Boulevard successful Harlem connected January 27, 1998.

Velazquez, past 22, was quickly arrested on with an alleged accomplice, 34-year-old Derry Daniels. In 1999 Velazquez was recovered blameworthy of execution and sentenced to 25 years.

In 2017, Velazquez’s lawyer Robert Gottlieb demanded a caller trial, saying the Manhattan District Attorney deliberately kept from his client’s proceedings attorneys a papers of an interrogation with Daniels’ father, who saw the existent slayer soon earlier the attack.

The grounds “provided a definite statement of a 3rd enactment culprit, not Jon-Adrian Velazquez, whom the begetter observed with his son, Derry, conscionable hours earlier the execution and who matched the nonstop statement of the shooter that had been fixed by eyewitnesses,” the 2017 filing said.

Daniels, who was allowed to plead down to robbery, was sentenced to conscionable 12 years down bars for his role. Velazquez says Daniels was a stranger.

Velazquez’s lawsuit became a origin celebre for believers successful his innocence, including actors Martin Sheen, Nick Cannon and Alfre Woodard, who stood with Gottlieb arsenic helium announced the caller filing.

Jon-Adrian Velazquez embraces his parent aft getting his execution condemnation vacated.

But it was newly-discovered DNA grounds that yet gave Velazquez his beingness back. In 2022 the lawsuit was opened for reinvestigation by the Post-Conviction Justice Unit, which utilized caller methods to trial DNA recovered connected a betting gaffe handled by “Tee”. It was determined that Velazquez’s DNA was not recovered connected the gaffe of paper, said the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

Since being released from prison, Velazquez has been busy. He portrayed himself successful a 2023 movie called Sing Sing astir a Shakespearean accumulation astatine the infamous Ossining, NY situation and has been moving arsenic an activist, even gathering with President Biden for a treatment connected ineligible betterment of the justness system.

“JJ Velazquez has lived successful the shadiness of his condemnation for much than 25 years, and I anticipation that contiguous brings with it a caller section for him,” said District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who added that the DA’s Post-Conviction Justice Unit has vacated 10 convictions done reinvestigation since being established successful 2022.

Jon-Adrian Velazquez is each smiles aft getting his execution condemnation vacated.

During the proceeding connected Monday, Judge Abraham Clott noted that a solemnisation was successful order.

Velazquez, portion grateful to beryllium exonerated, said determination are galore others similar him inactive locked up, posting connected societal media that it wasn’t conscionable his victory.

“Let’s guarantee that this communicative inspires alteration and prevents different wrongful convictions from occurring,” helium said. “Together, we tin radiance a airy connected the value of information and the spot of the quality spirit.”

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