A man who spent 25 years in prison expressed relief as a judge overturned his murder conviction. Harry Ruiz, now 58, had been serving time since 1994 for the shooting death of Emmanuel Felix in Harlem. His case was reexamined, revealing undisclosed evidence, including payments to a key witness’s mother. Manhattan Judge Robert Mandelbaum criticized the former assistant district attorney for refusing to cooperate with the reinvestigation.
Ruiz, who consistently claimed innocence, was released on parole in 2019. The case gained attention when a detective discovered evidence supporting Ruiz’s innocence. Investigations revealed undisclosed payments worth $17,000 to the witness’s mother, not shared with the defense as mandated. Despite Ruiz’s alibi and shifting testimony from the witness, he was convicted of second-degree murder.
Further scrutiny uncovered a federal informant confessing to paying for Felix’s murder, absolving Ruiz. However, these revelations were overlooked by prosecutors at the time. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg acknowledged new evidence undermining the trial’s integrity.
Ruiz’s attorney, Ron Kuby, emphasized the deliberate misconduct in securing Ruiz’s conviction. Ruiz, emotionally overwhelmed by the verdict, hoped his case would prompt reviews of other potentially wrongful convictions, advocating for justice and reform in the legal system.