TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Three years after walking off
death row a free man, Juan Melendez is pushing to make police and
prosecutors liable for wrongful convictions based on "fabricated or
deceptively manipulated" evidence.
Bills have been filed in both the state House and Senate to make
police agencies or prosecutors liable for civil damages in wrongful
convictions based on tampered evidence. The annual two-month
legislative session begins March 8.
Abe Bonowitz, director of Floridians for Alternatives to the
Death Penalty, said Wednesday the legislation (HB 247/SB 1004) is an
important start toward accountability - especially in Florida, where
two dozen people have been released from death row after having
their convictions overturned.
Melendez, 53, lived on death row for nearly 18 years. He was
released in January 2002 after his murder conviction was overturned
and prosecutors said they would not try him again.
Melendez and Bonowitz said prosecutors have conclusive evidence
before Melendez went to trial that another man was the killer.
"They knew I was an innocent man a month before I went to trial,"
Melendez told reporters.
Hardy Pickard, a Bartow prosecutor who worked on Melendez's case,
said Wednesday he would not comment.
"I've got nothing to say about that case at all," Pickard
said.
