Law Prof, Students Provide Impetus for Arson Exoneration
An investigation begun four years ago by a law professor, who tapped her students to assist in research, interviews and attempts to track down a crucial witness to a 1980 fire, culminated Wednesday in overturned arson/murder convictions for three men.
December 17, 2015 at 07:44 AM
5 minute read
An investigation begun four years ago by a law professor who tapped her students to assist in research, interviews and attempts to track down a crucial witness to a 1980 fire, culminated Wednesday in overturned arson/murder convictions for three men.
Members of the Brooklyn District Attorney's Conviction Review Unit told Acting Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Matthew D'Emic that, upon their own re-investigation into a fire that killed a mother and her five young children, they had no confidence in the convictions of Amaury Villalobos, William Vasquez and Raymond Mora.
Assistant District Attorney Mark Hale, the unit's chief, said the sole witness, Hannah Quick, made inconsistent statements and, years later, before dying in 2014, told family she testified falsely. Moreover, Hale said the fire marshal's 1981 testimony was based on “conventional wisdom” at the time about fires that was later debunked.
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