Kimberly Hanzlik, a 59-year-old woman from New York City, has been released from prison after serving 13 years for a crime she was alleged to have committed in 1999. Her conviction was overturned following the emergence of new evidence that cast doubt on her involvement in the murder of Joseph Brown.
Initially convicted in 2011 alongside gunman Joseph Meldish, Hanzlik was accused of tipping off Meldish about the location of his intended target, Thomas Brown, at Frenchy’s Tavern in the Bronx. However, Meldish mistakenly shot Joseph Brown, who resembled his brother Thomas.
The case against Hanzlik was built on testimony that has since been deemed unreliable. The Bronx District Attorney, Darcel Clark, acknowledged the pain this decision might cause the victim's family but emphasized the importance of justice, stating, "In the interest of justice, we are dismissing the indictment against Ms. Hanzlik."
A critical piece of evidence was a previously undisclosed police document from 1999, which indicated that Hanzlik was not present at the crime scene, as confirmed by the getaway driver.
Furthermore, the credibility of the identification process was questioned, as it was revealed that the victim's wife only identified Hanzlik seven years after the murder, and the detective involved had coerced false identifications in other cases.
This revelation led to a hearing at the Bronx Hall of Justice, where Administrative Judge Alvin Yearwood granted the motion to vacate Hanzlik's conviction, dismiss the indictment, and seal the case, resulting in her release from state prison.
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