NY Court releases innocent Dominican jailed for 23 years

NEW YORK.- "Sir, you are free, you may go," were the federal Judge’s words of a lifetime for Dominican Guillermo López (William) Wednesday, to conclude a hearing in Brooklyn’s East District Federal Court.

It’s been 23 years since Lopez was sentenced to life in prison with possible parole in 25, during which the former inmate had claimed his innocence, from day of his arrest.

Judge Chico Mangano ruled for his released thanks in part to testimony by fellow Dominican Cesar Diaz, deported for drug trafficking and living in the Dominican Republic, who in a taped statement said the former inmate was not the man who fatally hot the victim, Elvirn Surria, in August 31, 1989, near a crack house.

I a previous hearing judge Nicholas Garaufis blasted the judge who presided over the trial which convicted Lopes, and even the prosecutors and his defense lawyers.

The judge said he ruling was based on compelling new evidence that revealed the convict’s innocence.