William Lopez
Photo: Spencer Burnett
[From article]
Jailed more than two decades for a crime he did not commit, William Lopez’s brief taste of freedom came to a sudden, tragic end Saturday when he man died just days before his $124 million lawsuit for false imprisonment was set to start.
The 55-year-old Bronx man had finally been freed in January 2013, after 23 years behind bars for murder, but a massive asthma attack ended Lopez’s short post-prison life at about 1 a.m. Saturday, his lawyer told The Post.
Supporters said his unexpected demise denied him the justice he deserved.
[. . .]
The case against him was very weak. One witness gave a description that did not match Lopez’s profile. The other had just finished a crack binge when the murder took place, and later recanted.
“In short, the prosecution’s evidence was flimsy to begin with and has since been reduced to rubble,” federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis wrote before releasing Lopez.
http://nypost.com/2014/09/22/exonerated-man-who-served-23-years-in-prison-suddenly-dies/
Exonerated man who served 23 years in prison suddenly dies
By Josh Saul and Leonard Greene
New York Post
September 22, 2014 | 1:10am
[From article]
Jailed more than two decades for a crime he did not commit, William Lopez’s brief taste of freedom came to a sudden, tragic end Saturday when he man died just days before his $124 million lawsuit for false imprisonment was set to start.
The 55-year-old Bronx man had finally been freed in January 2013, after 23 years behind bars for murder, but a massive asthma attack ended Lopez’s short post-prison life at about 1 a.m. Saturday, his lawyer told The Post.
Supporters said his unexpected demise denied him the justice he deserved.
[. . .]
The case against him was very weak. One witness gave a description that did not match Lopez’s profile. The other had just finished a crack binge when the murder took place, and later recanted.
“In short, the prosecution’s evidence was flimsy to begin with and has since been reduced to rubble,” federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis wrote before releasing Lopez.
http://nypost.com/2014/09/22/exonerated-man-who-served-23-years-in-prison-suddenly-dies/
Exonerated man who served 23 years in prison suddenly dies
By Josh Saul and Leonard Greene
New York Post
September 22, 2014 | 1:10am
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