A man and woman who spent more than 17 years in prison after being wrongly convicted in a 2007 East Hollywood murder case celebrated today after their convictions were vacated and they were released.
“This is some kind of Christmas miracle, and I’m so grateful that it actually happened to me,” he said at a Monday press conference in court, where he was joined by Lombardo Palacios. An emotional Charlotte Preites said. was also wrongly convicted.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hockman appeared in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Friday where Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan ordered his immediate release, calling it a “magical moment for justice.” .
Hochman told reporters Monday that investigators had picked up Preites and Palacios from a central California prison where they were being held so they could attend a hearing and be released by Christmas. .
“Mr. Palacios and Mr. Preites, you owe us a sincere apology for what you have experienced and the suffering you have endured,” the district attorney told them. “There are no words to accurately describe what you’ve been through, but I’m here today to let you know that you are here, that you are amazing people, and that you are going to do great things in this world. I came to
The district attorney vowed, “We will not rest until the real culprit in that murder is brought to justice,” and the office said, “We will learn as much as possible from this case and strive to never repeat it.” Ta. And you will meet people who have been unjustly imprisoned.
Preites, 37, expressed his gratitude at a press conference, occasionally raising his voice.
“I just want to say how truly happy and how blessed I am to be standing here, free, after spending 17 years in front of my eyes in a life sentence for something I didn’t do,” she said. said.
“I am truly grateful and blessed that this wrongful conviction was corrected. I don’t want to take anything away from the wonderful people who made this exoneration possible. You are all a blessing,” Preites said. “I also think it would be wrong not to say there was a real problem with the system to cause these wrongful convictions.”
She said she was two months pregnant when she was arrested and that her daughter was celebrating her 17th birthday on Monday.
Preites said her mother raised the girl and “had to be a mother, not a grandmother.”
“I missed being her mother. I loved her so much,” she said. “Now we are together.”
Palacios, 33, also attended the press conference and introduced himself: “I’m a guy who’s been in prison for 17 years.”
“The last few days have been the best days of my life,” he said. “I’m making up for everything… It’s been incredible. I still can’t believe I’m free. I’m the happiest man in the world.”
Monday’s announcement completes a process that began under Mr. Hochman’s predecessor, former District Attorney George Gascon.
In his October announcement, Gascón cited what he called a “raid raid” by law enforcement on Palacios, who was 15 at the time, until he was falsely told there was video showing Palacios was the perpetrator. He maintained his innocence for nearly two hours.
Gascón said at the time that Palacios “was never actually there” and did not explain exactly what happened or what type of weapon was used, adding that Preites He pointed out that he steadfastly maintained his innocence during police interrogation.
At the time of Gascón’s announcement, the judge did not immediately rule on the prosecution’s request for exoneration because the prosecutor in charge of the case said he wanted to provide more information to the judge.
Tom Trainer, head of the District Attorney’s Office’s Conviction Integrity Unit, said during a brief hearing in October that he was “very confident” in the office’s latest analysis of the case. .
But he said the trial prosecutor, Deputy District Attorney Dayan Mathai, had “expressed some concerns” and “should be given an opportunity to be heard.”
Mr. Preites’ lawyer, Matthew Lombardo, objected to Mr. Mathai’s “last-minute approach” and said it was “more than enough” to grant the petition to vacate the convictions of Mr. Preites and Mr. Palacios.
Hochman later invited the trial attorney to be present as members of the department’s Conviction Review Unit presented new evidence in the case, saying, “I came to the same conclusion that I did. “I have come to the conclusion that I am no longer so sure.” It was an office and needed to be put aside. ”
The conviction stems from the death of Hector Luis Flores, who was shot and killed after an argument in the parking lot of a shopping center in the 5200 block of Sunset Boulevard on March 28, 2007, at approximately 10:20 p.m. are. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
Hochman’s announcement Monday said witness identification and other “circumstantial evidence” during the investigation led to the arrests of Preites and Palacios.
On October 6, 2009, a jury found the two men guilty of first-degree murder and each was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison, but the convictions and sentences were later upheld on appeal. .
Hochman’s office said the prosecutor’s office was invited to work with lead attorney Ellen Eggers about 13 years after the conviction. Lombard, Playtes’ attorney. Palacios’ attorney, Nicholas Thomas. The California Innocence Defenders say the move is “to ensure justice for both individuals.”
Thomas, who was the sole attorney for Mr. Preites and Mr. Palacios at the time, filed the first bill with the department’s Conviction Review Unit (CRU) in November 2022.
“While we do not wish to say that justice has been served because the injustice our client has suffered over nearly two decades is immeasurable,” Lombardo said in a statement released by Hochman’s office. , this is definitely a reason to celebrate.”
“Charlotte, Lombardo, their family, and the entire legal team have provided a platform to bring this case and collaborated with us to uncover the truth that will ultimately free our client,” Thomas said in a statement. I am deeply grateful to the review unit.”
Meanwhile, Megan Baca of the California Innocence Defense Group said the defense team was grateful for “Prosecutor Hochman’s dedication to correcting a wrongful conviction and the fact that Charlotte and Lombardo were able to spend Christmas at home for the first time in 17 years. “I am encouraged by the incredible efforts that went into securing my client’s immediate release.” Their family is where they always belonged. ”
The CRU and lawyers for Mr. Preites and Mr. Palacios had filed a joint petition asking that the convictions be set aside and that Mr. Preites and Mr. Palacios be effectively innocent.
Hochman’s office announced Monday that a finding of factual innocence will be sought at a later date.
“After a detailed review and analysis of the investigation and prosecution of the 2009 conviction, the prosecutor’s office finds that any of the investigators, responding officers, and prosecutors involved in this case acted inappropriately and unethically. “We maintain that there is no evidence to suggest that, given the applicable case law and the state of the evidence at the time, anything was done unlawfully in the performance of the investigation and prosecution of this case,” Hochman said. said.
“The request for relief in this case is based entirely on new evidence uncovered during the joint CRU and defense investigation,” the district attorney said.
