Twenty-five years ago Nelson Cruz was sentenced for a murder he did not commit in 1998 in East New York, Brooklyn. According to the Hispanic’s story, Detective Louis Scarcella made him sign a confession under duress to end the case, according to Cruz.
Even so, Cruz was released on probation after serving 25 years in prison on Thursday, March 30. For almost three decades Cruz was behind bars, claiming his innocence and assuring that he had nothing to do with the murder for which he is accused. “I am definitely still fighting (…) I will not stop until my conviction is annulled,” he said as he entered the doors of the Queensboro Correctional Facility where he was received by his family.
The case had a key turn in 2019 when, at a hearing to leave, a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer assured that in 1998 he saw the crime scene and that Cruz was not the one who activated the weapon. . In addition, officer Scarcella stated that he did not have clear memories of the case, which is why the authorities ruled against Nelson Cruz.
Even so, shortly after, Nelson Cruz’s defense determined that the judge in the case had been experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s. There is supposed to be a rehearing on the case, however the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office said Cruz has been held accountable for his crime and our office supported his parole.
This would not be the most recent case of this type, since last March after 19 years imprisoned for a murder he did not commit in Brooklyn, Emel McDowell was released after charging himself with a murder he did not commit.
The then-young McDowell accepted a deal under the promise that if he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor he could walk free. Despite that, since 1990 he was convicted and imprisoned until the third week of March 2023 when a judge agreed to vacate his conviction after an investigation by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Conviction Review Unit.
Even in 1991 he presented a letter written by the real murderer, almost claiming responsibility for the crime with witness statements. Even so, in 2009 he had no choice but to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter, affirming his participation in the crime.
With information from Pix11
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