After 24 Years in Prison, an Innocent Man Goes Free
Jonathan Fleming was sentenced to life in prison even though authorities knew he was in another state at the time of the murder. After 24 years, he has been released.
By Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica
In a hearing that lasted less than 15 minutes, Jonathan Fleming’s more than 24 years in prison came to an end. The 1990 murder conviction was expunged from his record, leaving his family jubilant in a packed Brooklyn courtroom.
“Thank you, God!” one relative screamed when Judge Matthew D’Emic accepted a motion to dismiss the charges. “Come hug your mother!” said another.
Today’s hearing was the final step in a process that began in June 2013, when Fleming’s attorneys teamed with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office Conviction Integrity Unit to re-examine Fleming.
Together, investigators unearthed powerful evidence 2014 much of it withheld for years by law enforcement 2014 showing Fleming had been in Florida when 22-year-old Darryl “Black” Rush was shot to death on August 15, 1989.
Fleming’s mother, Patricia Fleming, spoke to reporters through tears outside of the courtroom, thanking his attorneys and saying she always knew he was innocent. At Fleming’s original trial she testified that she was with him in Florida at the time of the murder.
“When they gave my son 25-to-life, I thought I would die in that courtroom, knowing he didn’t do it. But it’s over now, it’s over,” she said, surrounded by family members.
At today’s hearing, Fleming’s attorneys briskly described all the evidence they and the Brooklyn Conviction Integrity Unit had gathered supporting Fleming’s alibi, including a receipt for a Florida hotel phone bill Fleming paid hours before the murder took place. They also uncovered an Orlando police department report confirming that several hotel employees remembered seeing Fleming, and evidence that an eyewitness testified against Fleming to avoid criminal prosecution herself.
“For the reasons that have been outlined…I am now respectfully moving this court to immediately vacate the defendant’s conviction, immediately dismiss the underlying indictment and allow Mr. Fleming to walk out of this office, this building, this courtroom, a free man,” said Taylor Koss, the Conviction Integrity Unit’s former deputy chief, who became one of Fleming’s attorneys.
Mark Feldman, chief assistant to Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson, quickly consented to Fleming’s release, acknowledging that the receipt and the police report were not made available to the defense at trial.
“Had it been, the likely result of the trial would have been different,” he said.
With that, Fleming bowed his head in relief.
“I feel wonderful,” he told reporters outside the courtroom. “I always knew this day would come one day, and today was the day.”
Wait, before you go…If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Support Truthdig
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.