To the Editor: While there is rightfully much attention being given to reforming police departments, the rest of the criminal justice system needs to be held accountable as well.
The latest example is that on June 23 in Queens, 45-year-old Samuel Brownridge was finally released from prison after serving 25 years for a murder he did not commit. The blame for this injustice can be spread among all the legal people involved.
In 1995, 32-year-old Darryle Adams was killed execution-style. Of the four men at the scene, three identified the killer as Garfield Brown. But prosecutors got a conviction of Bronwridge from the testimony of two witnesses. Since three plus two equals five, where did the other witness come from?
Why did the cops not believe the three witnesses who identified Brown? Why did Brownridge’s attorney not question three alibi witnesses? Police, prosecutors and the defense attorney were all responsible for an innocent man going to prison, and none were held accountable.
Meanwhile, the real killer, Brown, went on to commit two more murders before being killed by police. When the wrong person is sent to prison, sometimes more people are killed by the person who should have been imprisoned.
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