After decades in prison, three men were cleared Friday in one of the most horrifying crimes of New York’s violent 1990s — the killing of a clerk who was set on fire in a subway toll booth.
A judge dismissed the murder convictions of Vincent Ellerbe, James Irons and Thomas Malik after prosecutors said the case was built on falsehood-filled confessions, shaky witness identifications and other flawed evidence.
“What happened to us can never be fixed,” Ellerbe told the court as he quietly described the ordeal of prison. “They break you, or they turn you into a monster.” The men have long said they were coerced into falsely confessing in the case, which involved detectives who later were repeatedly accused of forcing confessions and framing suspects.
Kaufman was attacked Nov. 26, 1995, while working an overnight shift on overtime to put away extra money for his son’s future college tuition. The attackers first tried to rob him, then squirted gasoline through the tollbooth coin slot and ignited the fuel with matches, authorities said at the time. The booth exploded, and the 50-year-old Kaufman ran from it in flames. The married father died two weeks later.
The men maintained that they had been coerced into false confessions, with Malik saying Detective Louis Scarcella screamed at him and slammed his head into a locker. Scarcella testified that he cursed, pounded a table and was trying to scare the then-18-year-old Malik, but didn’t beat him. The same witness’ identification of Malik was also problematic, partly because she had earlier pointed to someone else — a man an informant had named separately, prosecutors said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Kristi Noem running digital ads in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina; new northeast trip plannedRepublican Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota sparks speculation of a 2024 presidential run by running digital ads in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina
Read more »
New attraction in Abbeville provides educational opportunityThe story behind this project is an example of how people in small towns can accomplish big things.
Read more »
NY’s new firearms law creates gun-free zones, lots of work for lawyersGov. Kathy Hochul has signed legislation designating a long list of public places in New York as gun-free zones, but it isn't likely to be the final word. Darrell A.H. Miller, co-director of the Duke Center for Firearms Law, discusses the implications.
Read more »
New 988 hotline is the 911 for mental health emergenciesQuick help for suicidal thoughts and other mental health emergencies is now as easy as 9-8-8. The United States’ first nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline goes live today.
Read more »
Britney Spears sings new rendition of ‘Baby One More Time’ a capellaSpears wanted to release an updated rendition of the track found on her diamond-selling debut album, but was thwarted by her conservatorship, she claims.
Read more »
In an uncertain pandemic economy, new D.C.-area businesses surgedThe 'Great Resignation' and the gig economy are helping fuel a rise in new businesses in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, data and experts say.
Read more »