The Innocence project:

background

• Name of Exonerated: Eduardo Velasquez
• State where Incident Occurred: Massachusetts
• Date of Incident: November 23, 1988
• Year of Conviction: 1998
• Year Cleared: 2001

CHARGE/CONVICTION:
Velasquez was charged and convicted of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, indecent assault, battery on an adult, aggravated rape, and assault and battery.

OVERVIEW:
A young woman was forced to perform oral sex at knife point. When her assailant ran away, she went to a nearby convent, where they called the police. Nearby, Velasquez was sighted by patrolling officers who brought him to the convent to see if he was the perpetrator. The victim identified him as her rapist.

Sentence/compensation:

• Sentence: 12-18 years
• Exoneration Date: 8/15/01
• Sentence Served: 12.5 Years
• Compensation: Yes.
• How much?: $500,000 (State - MA) and 2,450,000 (Boston)

HAIR EVIDENCE MISUSE:
A hair was found on the victim's clothing that was unlike the color of the victim's hair, but was only "within the range" of Valesquez's hair. This assertion is inherently prejudicial in nature.

HOW INNOCENCE PROVEN:
A DNA test conducted in 2001 excluded him as the attacker. The real perpetrator was never found.

YEARS LATER:
There isn't much on what he's doing now, but he was last known to be job-searching. He said that he carried around a newspaper clipping about his exoneration, but was yet to find a job.

CITATIONS:

• The Innocence Project
• truthinjustice.org
• forejustice.org