Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez has moved to vacate Brian Kendall's 1988 manslaughter conviction after the Conviction Review Unit determined the charges were not valid and declared him 'likely innocent.' Kendall, arrested at 17, was at a game room during a fatal shooting and later pleaded guilty to manslaughter based on questionable witness statements. Despite evidence supporting his innocence presented at trial, restrictions on evidence-sharing led him to accept a plea deal. He served nearly 16 years before being paroled and deported to Guyana, highlighting systemic issues affecting young people of color.
The Conviction Review Unit found that the charges against Brian Kendall did not hold up, and that he is 'likely innocent.'
Eyewitnesses described the shooter as an older man who didn't match Kendall's description, while other reports indicated a feud between the store owner and a local man.
Kendall and his defense attorney presented several witnesses attesting to his innocence, but due to restrictive evidence-sharing rules, he took a plea deal.
Brian Kendall's case highlights the systemic failures that disproportionately affect young people of color, raising questions about justice and accountability.
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