A New York man who was falsely convicted of murder finally freed after twenty five years in prison. Brooklyn court vacated to overturn the conviction of Andre Hatchett on Thursday, who was currently serving a life imprisonment over the Bedford-Stuyvesant park murder in 1991.
Andre Hatchett, 49 years old was convicted over the death of Neda Mae Carter, a 38 year old woman who was found dead in a Brooklyn playground back in the year 1991, Yahoo News reported. The decision to vacate Hatchett's conviction, was the result of the Brooklyn District attorney's office review on questionable "decades-old cases", on which the Hatchett's case was among on it.
District Attorney Ken Thompson recommended Hatchet released, and issued a statement. "After a thorough and fair review of this case by my Conviction Review Unit, I've concluded that, in the interest of justice, Andre Hatchett's murder conviction should not stand and that he should be released from custody immediately," Thompson stated.
Wrongly convicted in 1992, Hatchett served a life imprisonment for killing the victim, Neda Mae Carter, who was found dead, naked and severely beaten. Her body was discovered on a crucifixion-like position at Reinaldo Salgado Playground in February 1991, DNA Info reported.
Her autopsy reported that the cause of her death was due to a blunt head trauma and strangulation. It was also reported that she had been dragged. Carter's mother told the investigators that she was with Hatchett the night she was murdered.
Jerry Williams, who was a career criminal, and considered the star witness of the incident, testified that he and a woman, Yvette Hopkins was on the park when they heard a woman screaming. The pair saw a man standing over someone, who was lying on the ground,
They were told by the man to leave. Williams was arrested on an unrelated burglary case, and told the authorities he saw murderer on the park, CBS Local reported. The star witness originally named another man as the killer, however, he had a strong alibi. Williams then picked Hatchett from a lineup of suspect.
Hatchett's first trial ended in a mistrial after the judge determined there was "ineffective assistance of counsel," the DA's office said. After his second trial, he was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Prosecutors never told Hatchett's lawyers the witness had initially pointed to someone else.
The fact that Hatchett had injuries that raise doubts about his ability to carry out the crime went unmentioned at trial, even by his own lawyers. Hatchett was on crutches, having been shot in the legs and trachea months earlier. Prosecutors agreed that it have made nearly impossible for him to drag the victim's body and shout at the witnesses, as described by Williams.
On Thursday, Hatchett his first step outside, with a celebratory barbecue lunch with his family though also with thoughts of the mother, brother, son and other loved ones who died while he was in prison.
