Judge tosses murder conviction for man who served 25 years
A Manhattan judge has vacated the murder conviction of Henry Ruiz, who served 25 years in prison for a 1993 killing, after a review uncovered evidence that prosecutors may have withheld, including payments to the key witness's mother. The Manhattan district attorney’s office found that the case against Ruiz was significantly undermined by undisclosed information and witness inconsistencies. Ruiz, released on parole in 2019, maintained his innocence throughout, and his attorneys allege deliberate misconduct by the former prosecution team. The judge criticized the original prosecutor for refusing to cooperate with the reinvestigation.
- ▪Henry Ruiz's murder conviction was overturned after new evidence revealed prosecutors may have withheld payments made to the mother of the key eyewitness.
- ▪The Manhattan DA’s post-conviction review found $17,000 in undisclosed benefits provided to the witness’s mother and inconsistent testimony from the teenage eyewitness.
- ▪A federal informant and a second individual had previously stated that Ruiz was not involved in the murder and that someone else was paid to carry out the killing.
- ▪The original trial prosecutor, Helen Sturm, declined to participate in the reinvestigation and said she did not recall details of the case.
- ▪Ruiz was convicted in 1994 despite three family members providing an alibi and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
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ABC NewsLiveVideoShowsShopInterest Successfully AddedWe'll notify you here with news aboutTurn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? OffOnStream onJudge tosses murder conviction for man who served 25 yearsA Manhattan judge has vacated the murder conviction of Henry Ruiz, who spent 25 years in prison for a 1993 murderByJAKE OFFENHARTZ Associated PressApril 27, 2026, 7:37 PM1:19Harry Ruiz hugs his lawyer, Ron Kuby, after a judge in New York vacates his murder conviction on Monday, April 27, 2026. (Dean Moses/amNewYork via AP, Pool)The Associated PressNEW YORK -- A Manhattan judge has tossed the murder conviction of a man who spent 25 years in prison after a review of his case revealed new evidence that may have been withheld by prosecutors, including thousands of dollars in payments made to the mother of their key eyewitness.The man, Harry Ruiz, has maintained his innocence since his 1994 conviction for the fatal shooting of Emmanuel Felix, an alleged drug dealer in Harlem. Ruiz, now 58, was released on parole in 2019. “I feel like I can finally breathe again,” he said on Monday, leaving the courthouse flanked by family and his attorneys.At the hearing, Judge Robert Mandelbaum took the unusual step of rebuking the former assistant district attorney in charge of Ruiz's trial for her “troubling” refusal to participate in the reinvestigation. “To this court, that speaks volumes,” he said.Reached by phone, the attorney, Helen Sturm, called the judge’s comments “inappropriate,” adding that she was not required “to go over a case from 30 years ago.”The case first gained renewed interest after a New York City detective, Carlos Vasquez, stumbled on his file while investigating another killing and quickly became convinced of Ruiz’s innocence.When the Manhattan district attorney’s post-conviction review unit opened an inquiry two years ago, they found that prosecutors had provided payments and housing worth $17,000 to the mother of a 13-year-old girl, the only witness to identify Ruiz as the shooter.The review found no evidence those payments were disclosed to the defense, as legally required. When investigators reached out to Sturm, the trial attorney, to discuss the matter, she declined to be interviewed. “What do you want me to say? That I feel badly that he was convicted?” she said by phone. “You don’t get a long sentence like this without evidence.”She added that she did not remember the exact details of the case, but felt confident that the prosecution had followed relevant disclosure laws.According to the post-conviction review, the teenager’s testimony shifted dramatically throughout the trial. At one point, when asked to identify Ruiz, she picked out someone sitting in the courtroom audience.Popular ReadsUS being 'humiliated' by Iran, German chancellor says2 hours agoRoommate charged with murder of 2 USF doctoral students: SheriffApr 25, 3:55 PMWHCA dinner shooting: Suspect descended 10 flights with duffel: SourcesApr 27, 8:35 AMDespite three family members vouching for his alibi, Ruiz was convicted by a jury of second-degree murder. At the age of 25, he was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison by Judge Harold Rothwax — nicknamed Prince of Darkness for his notoriously harsh sentences.As part of the review, investigators also learned that a federal informant had admitted in 2002 to having paid someone to kill Felix — and that Ruiz was not involved. A second person came forward the same year to corroborate that…
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