At 18-years old, Samuel Brownridge was identified by two witnessed as the gunman responsible for the 1994 execution-style murder of Darryle Adams at Queens, New York. Brownridge was convinced and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison the following year. Yet, he has always maintained his innocence, according to his attorney.
District Attorney Melinda Katz said Brownridge's conviction was solely based on two unreliable eyewitness testimony and no physical evidence that explicitly proved he was the killer. Brownridge consistently asserted his innocence of the murder and has claimed that he was at home with his girlfriend and child at the time of the shooting.
After Brownridge, now 45, served the minimum of 25 years of his sentence in March 2019, he was released on lifetime parole while continuing to fight for justice. While Samuel Brownridge is deeply grateful for the unwavering dedication of his advocates and supporters during this long struggle; there's nothing that will restore the 25 years of his life that were taken from him
as a result of deep, fundamental flaws in the united State's justice system said Donna Aldea, Brownridge's attorney in a statement.
"I sit down sometimes and say to myself, why me? My twenties, thirties and half of my forties are gone", said Brownridge. "I sat in a jail cell every night waiting for this day,while others went home to their families, knowing that the system failed and law enforcement did not do what they could to free an innocent ,man"
During Brownridge's years of post-conviction investigation, Aldea and her legal team found several pieces of evidence that if presented at his original trial, would have cleared his name. "Eyewitness misidentification of two men in photo arrays certainly raises questions as to the reliability of the identification procedures used in this case", said Bryce Benjet, director of the Conviction Integrity.
Prosecutors said Brown more closely resembled an eyewitness' description of the gunman as a man in his mid-20s with a short fade haircut and Brownridge did not have his hair short on the sides at the time. "Taken together, this new evidence demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence that Mr Brownridge did not murder Darryle Adams", prosecutors said.
That evidence of innocence requires that Mr Brownridge's conviction be vacated and the indictment be dismissed. Queens Supreme Court Justice Joseph Zayas used a tissue to wipe away tears during the video conference before granting Brownrige's case.
In his closing remarks, Brownridge said "to many of you, this may look like victory, but.... I cannot help but see all that i lost, but i also see hope . Hope for my future. Hope for my family and hope for reform".
Brown was the gunman who was profiled in an April 2020 episode of "America's Most Wanted" for homicides in August 1999 and January 2001 respectively, in New York City and New Haven, Connecticut. As police were attempting to apprehend Brown in May 2002, he was killed during a shootout in North Carolina. "No further prosecution was warranted", said the prosecutors.
Good lord save your children whole 25years?
The whole justice system should be overhauled period.