Cassandra Sinnott

Student at RIT, studying criminal justice and psychology

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

Now he lives in New Mexico and tours places telling them about his experience so that others can avoid the same situation.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

When Juan was released he received $100 compensation from the state. He has not received any further compensation, nor an official apology.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

-another witness had since recanted his testimony.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

The state declined to prosecute a 2nd time since the key witness at the original trial was then dead &-

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

They were also able to locate other witnesses who recalled that Vernon James had confessed to the murder before he died.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

-discovered the taped confession made by Vernon James.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

Melendez was close the end of his appeals when his current lawyers searched through the files of the original defense lawyer & -

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

Melendez's conviction and death sentence were upheld on appeal three times by the Florida Supreme Court.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

“They never give me an interpreter. At that time, if I say five words in English, three of them would have been cuss words.” -Juan Melendez

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

Juan could not read/ write in English and was said to have the education level of a 9th grader.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

-and had threatened to kill him prior to reporting to the police that Melendez had confessed his involvements in Delbert Baker’s murder.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

Witnesses testified during Melendez’s trial that Falcon had a grudge against Melendez

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

Melendez was convicted largely on testimony of David Luna Falcon, an informant with a criminal record.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

This alibi was supported by the testimony of 4 witnesses.
There was no physical evidence connecting Melendez to the crime.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

In his own defense, Melendez testified that he was with a woman named Dorothy Rivera on the evening of September 13, 1983.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

Until FBI agents arrested him in Pennsylvania at the age of 33. He was charged for the 1983 Florida murder for someone he never met.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

In 1974 Melendez was arrested in Florida for an armed robbery & spent over 6 yrs in prison. He then returned to life as a migrant farmer.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

He fled to Puerto Rico when he was 8 years old to escape an abusive stepfather.
At the age of 17 he returned to the US and made a family.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

He was released January 2nd, 2002. He is well known as the 99th exoneree released in our nation.

[Cassandra Sinnott @Zeclipse15]

I did research on Juan Melendez, a man who was wrongfully convicted for over 17 years. Here is his story.
#WCRIT