Nassau County, NY – 25 years after he was convicted of child molestation, and more than a decade since he has been freed, Jesse Friedman says he hopes a long-awaited report from the Nassau County DA’s office will, once and for all, exonerate him.
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The NEW YORK POST (http://bit.ly/177qvsR) reports that Friedman, who was freed after serving 13 years on a controversial conviction that became the subject of a documentary film Capturing the Friedmans, has maintained his innocence from day one, claiming he was “railroaded” into offering up a “bogus” confession by rogue cops and prosecutors.
Jesse pleaded guilty to 14 counts of child molestation in 1998.
Since his conviction, the bulk of the state’s witnesses have backed up his innocence, including one victim who came forward last month after 25 years.
Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice ordered the report on the case three years ago in light of new evidence.
Remarkable. but also confusing. If I read this correctly, some “witnesses” and one of the accusers now admits to lying during the trial and the defendant originally confessed, albeit under duress.
How is one supposed to apply any lessons going forward? We can’t ignore witnesses or accusers and a juror has no way to know of any prosecutorial misconduct during the trial.
Sure, they could jail or fine some of these people, but that doesn’t make up for the years the guy spent behind bars..Do we tell prosecutors and police to tread lightly on future cases to avoid this from recurring?
I see no good solution to any of this and that worries me.
WOW WOW u mean a inncoent person was in prison for a crime he didnt commit??? where is the lynch mob now? maybe some of the ppl who were accused are innocent after all? we created a whole cottage industry of lynch mobs
But, but, but, the accuser must always be believed. Any skepticism of accusations or accusers is putting victims on trial! All the VIN comments told me so.
I’m so confused …
Reminds me of the Amanda Knox confession, which was made under duress, and she has maintained her innocence.
Forget it,his name is tarnished forever.There will always be people saying that something fishy here and he is still guilty.
This my friends are only one of the reasons why Rabbonim do not allow to go to the police on a suspected child molester before consulting a prominent Rav. Once a man is arrested the whole town knows about it.Even if it proves afterwards that the man is innocent his name is tarnished forever.
After all we are Yidden and we cant decide someones fate becuase some activists decided its a free for all to defame innocent people.
My humble suggestion is that the officers involved in putting someone established to be innocent should be treated as kidnappers, who kidnapped a man, ruined his name, ruined his family and subjected him to torture among a hostile and dangerous prison population. In fact, that is exactly what they are.
The officers and prosecutors ought to be criminally charged and put into jail. I suspect they would be a tad more circumspect….