Man freed from prison after 16 years

[The Monkey]

CHICAGO (AFP) — Arrested at 13 for a murder he didn't commit, Thaddeus Jimenez spent more than 16 years in jail before his conviction was tossed out and the man originally fingered for the crime was arrested.

Jimenez is believed to be the youngest person convicted of a crime who has been exonerated in the United States.

He was tried as an adult and sentenced to 45 years in jail -- despite the fact that an alleged accomplice in the murder insisted that another teen been the shooter and that police were provided with a tape in which that teen confessed.

According to news reports, prosecutors have charged Juan Carlos Torres, mpw 30, with the murder, and have filed papers for his extradition from Indiana, where he now resides.

Meanwhile, Jimenez, also 30, who went to prison barely in his teens, returned to his mother's arms Friday a grown man.

"Oh my God I can't believe it. I can't believe he's here," Victoria Jimenez sobbed as she wrapped her arms around her son.

Jimenez clutched a piece of paper as he walked up to a podium in Chicago Monday to thank his family and his lawyers for working so hard to get him free.

"You'll have to excuse me if I fumble some of my words. I'm a little bit nervous," he told reporters.

"I'm happy to be alive today," he said as his mother wiped tears from her eyes and clutched his sister's hand.

"There are many more innocent men, women and children still in prison today. I hope my case can be studied and used to prevent other defendants -- especially juveniles -- from having to endure what I had to endure."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gV_Fx1UqkgW4MEJ3GG2DC6u_PDnw

I hope he gets the biggest fucking compensation as possible from the government. And why the fuck did they try a 13-year-old as an adult? What the fuck is wrong with those people?

 

[<RJMC>]

they saw it was mexican so they thought he was the criminal

 

[Darkside55]

they saw it was mexican so they thought he was the criminal

He would've been innocent had there been a negro around.

 

[Hobostomp]

wow... that's 16 years of his life gone. He can't get that back. They should give him free money.

 

[nurizeko]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gV_Fx1UqkgW4MEJ3GG2DC6u_PDnw

I hope he gets the biggest fucking compensation as possible from the government. And why the fuck did they try a 13-year-old as an adult? What the fuck is wrong with those people?

You know, America, in some developed nations, the law is used to provide justice rather then petty vengence.

Its not about punishing anyone, its about punishing the culprit.


I agree, I hope this guy gets so much compensation the government's arse aches for years to come.

 

[15357]

Wow.


Did they put the 13 year old in federal/state prison with the general population of criminals?


Even I'm disgusted by this Type I error. He should be eligible for some kind of compensation, like free everything for the rest of his life.

 

[Vegeta897]

My mom's friend's husband (I think...) died in prison after 15 or something years and he was later found to be not guilty.

 

[Seppo]

That sucks.

My mom's friend's husband (I think...) died in prison after 15 or something years and he was later found to be not guilty.

That sucks too.

 

[Remus]

Never having to pay any taxes for the rest of his life, plus a substantial compensation sounds in order...

 

[Eejit]

I'm sure he's done something deserving of 16 years in prison, even if it's not what they convicted him for.

 

[Warped]

Never having to pay any taxes for the rest of his life, plus a substantial compensation sounds in order...

yeah and a maybe a job helping authorities from keeping this happen again..with a $100,000 a year salary

 

[Leto]

and no taxes and compensation for his family for going through that hell.

 

[Bad^Hat]

Shitty.

I'm sure he's done something deserving of 16 years in prison, even if it's not what they convicted him for.

What?

 

[Raziaar]

That's a terrible terrible thing. We really need to perfect our justice system because right now it fails a lot, and in so many ways.

Good thing the man is still relatively young. Only about 30 years old... but still, he lost a huge chunk of his life.

 

[Eejit]

What?

Well he's an ethnic minority, right?

 

[Remus]

Well he's an ethnic minority, right?

Oh... ha ha ha

 

[MJ12]

Good thing the man is still relatively young. Only about 30 years old... but still, he lost a huge chunk of his life.

Really, and such an important part of his life as well, 13-30? That's all of your developmental years in jail.
-No matter what this guy probably won't be able to live a regular life because of this, those years are so crucial in developing your personality.

 

[VirusType2]

Clyde Barrow, sup.

 

[Sulkdodds]

Really, and such an important part of his life as well, 13-30? That's all of your developmental years in jail.
-No matter what this guy probably won't be able to live a regular life because of this, those years are so crucial in developing your personality.

Also, people who come out of jail can very rarely get employment, not only because they have an enormous stain on their record but also because after so long on the inside they aren't always actually capable of functioning comfortably in the normal world. Incidences of psych problems are high and it's easy to see why gang connections, forged out of necessity inside the institution, may afterwards take precedence over the futile hope of reintegration into civil society.

 

[VirusType2]

Agreed, this is most likely a ruined man. However, I wish him the best.

 

[PJ]

Yeah, I heard about this. Poor guy. I'm sure he has a lot of support though. Well, he's got mine.

 

[delusional]

Does that mean he can kill someone since he's already done the time?

 

[[Dragoon]]

Does that mean he can kill someone since he's already done the time?

Only if it was the man he was originally sentenced for murdering, and then he'd have to go back and finish the rest of his 45 year sentence. I think. Not quite sure if double jeopardy works like that.

 

[Survivr]

I'm glad that the original culprit (we think) is going to be sentanced. He should technically also have False Imprisonment and Perverting the Cause Of The Justice added to the record.

Every government should learn from this and how to help reintegrate the unlucky few back in to society.