A man who had been imprisoned for 25 years expressed relief after a judge overturned his murder conviction. The decision came after a review of his case uncovered new evidence, potentially withheld by prosecutors, involving payments to a key witness’s mother. This development led to the dismissal of the murder charge by a Manhattan judge.

Harry Ruiz, who has consistently maintained his innocence since his 1994 conviction for the shooting death of Emmanuel Felix in Harlem, was granted parole in 2019. Judge Robert Mandelbaum criticized the former assistant district attorney for her reluctance to cooperate in the reinvestigation, deeming her behavior “troubling.”

Upon leaving court following the exoneration, Mr. Ruiz stated, “I feel like I can finally breathe again.” The attorney, Helen Sturm, dismissed the judge’s remarks as “inappropriate,” asserting that revisiting a case from three decades ago was not mandatory for her.

The case attracted renewed attention when New York City detective Carlos Vasquez, while investigating another crime, became convinced of Ruiz’s innocence after coming across his file. A subsequent inquiry by the Manhattan district attorney’s post-conviction review unit disclosed that prosecutors had provided undisclosed financial support to the witness’s mother.

The review further revealed discrepancies in the witness’s testimony during the trial, with instances where her identification of Ruiz varied. Despite alibi support from three family members, Ruiz was convicted of second-degree murder at 25 and received a harsh sentence from Judge Harold Rothwax.

Investigators also uncovered that a federal informant had confessed in 2002 to paying someone to kill Felix, absolving Ruiz of involvement. However, prosecutors under Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau chose not to reopen the case or share this crucial information with Ruiz’s legal team.

In a statement, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg acknowledged that a comprehensive review unearthed new evidence significantly undermining the original trial’s presentation. Ruiz’s attorney, Ron Kuby, emphasized that the conviction was a result of deliberate misconduct by the former district attorney’s office in concealing evidence.

Expressing hope for further reviews of similar cases, Ruiz tearfully remarked, “There are a lot of people in there who are the same as me, who deserve justice. I hope this never happens to anybody ever again.”