Murder conviction dropped against Colorado man after 27 years
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After 27 years in prison, Stephen Martinez will soon be free.
Zoom in: Martinez, 58, is expected to be released from prison Tuesday after Denver District Court Judge Andrew Luxen tossed his murder conviction and dismissed his charges earlier in the day.
- In 2000, a jury convicted Martinez of first-degree murder in connection with the 1998 death of 4-month-old Heather Lynn Mares.
Why it matters: The ruling marks a major win for the Korey Wise Innocence Project (KWIP) at the University of Colorado Law School, which presented the Denver District Attorney's Office with new evidence.
State of play: The new evidence KWIP presented showed the child died from pre-existing respiratory illness, per a statement. At the time, her death was ruled a homicide caused by what was then described as "shaken baby syndrome."
- The evidence KWIP provided prompted the Denver DA's office to conduct its own probe, leading it to vacate Martinez's conviction.
Between the lines: Denver District Attorney John Walsh said the medical examiner who performed Mares' autopsy in 1998 had recently acknowledged reasonable doubt about the original conclusion.
- The doubt cast by the medical examiner, along with evidence presented by KWIP, meant the office was unable to meet its ethical and legal burden of proof, prompting the dismissal.
Caveat: There was no misconduct by prosecutors or detectives who worked on the case, Walsh added.
- "This is simply an example of the criminal justice system being willing and able to assess a case when necessary," he added.
What they're saying: "I am looking forward to reuniting with my family and rebuilding my life," Martinez said in a statement.
- "This case is a tragedy on every front," Jeanne Segil, KWIP assistant director, said in a statement, adding the criminal justice system failed Martinez and Mares' family.