A near-record-breaking financial award was recently negotiated in five separate wrongful conviction lawsuits in New York City. The five victims each spent 17 years in jail for murders they had nothing to do with–one of which was known to have been committed by gang members. The $40 settlement was reached after nearly three years of negotiation.
The five individuals (four men and a woman) were arrested in 1995 in connection with the double homicide of a cab driver and a FedEx executive. Prosecutors alleged all of the individuals in question had been involved in one of the shootings but only three of them had committed the second. These innocent individuals were tried, convicted, and sentenced even though they claimed that two detectives in charge mishandled the investigation.
In 2012, it was revealed that a pair of gang members (who had become police informants) had actually confessed to one of the murders. A combination of local and federal investigators dug through the case files and agreed that a serious miscarriage of justice had occurred. They recommended that these convictions be vacated and in 2013 all five individuals were released from prison.
The victims then filed wrongful conviction lawsuits and after years of negotiations, were able to secure $8 million each as compensation for nearly two decades of their lives sacrificed behind bars.
It is not uncommon for wrongful convictions lawsuits in New York City to be settled out of court. The City saves face by not admitting to any fault or violations of the victim’s rights and the victims receive monetary compensation for their hardship.
However, getting such a settlement can be difficult (it took nearly three years in this case). Having an experienced New York City wrongful conviction attorney on your side dramatically increases your chances of getting the money you deserve.
If you’ve been sent to prison for a crime you didn’t commit, contact the New York City wrongful conviction attorneys at The Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel to schedule a free and confidential consultation. Call or 212-385-1122 today.