Charlotte Pleytez and Lombardo Palacios, who spent 17 years in prison for the murder of Hector Flores, have been exonerated and released. Their convictions were based on questionable eyewitness identifications and a coerced confession from Palacios when he was 15. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Conviction Review Unit reviewed the case and found insufficient evidence to support the original conviction.
Flanked by her mom, Carla Campos, left, and sister, Jennifer Pleytez, right, Charlotte Pleytez walks out of court a free womanIf you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.Charlotte Pleytez and Lombardo Palacios were in prison for 17 years for the murder of Hector Flores, a man who was shot and killed in his car in East Hollywood near a 99 Cent store.
“ came to the same conclusion that I did, that the conviction no longer had the confidence of this office and needed to be set aside,” Hochman said.In 2021, law student Nicolas Tomas spotted issues with the case and pursued it as a wrongful conviction. He took on Palacios as a client and worked with others, including Pleytez's attorney Matt Lombard and leaders at California Innocence Advocates, to push it forward.
Pleytez woke up Friday night worrying her release was another mistake and that authorities would come back. She’s been adapting by spending time with her daughter, mother, and dog, Versace.Pleytez, who was two months pregnant at the time of arrest, recounted what incarceration has cost her. After her daughter was born, she said authorities only let her see her twice for about 10 minutes each. Her daughter is now 17.
Now that he’s free, Palacios said he’s the happiest man in the world. Since Friday, he’s been spending time with his family and enjoying Dallas Cowboys football games on a flat screen TV. In December 2020, Sadie and Eddie Martinez were falsely accused of attempted kidnapping by a white woman who had been shopping at a Michaels craft store at the same time as them. This is the story of Sadie's fight to clear their names and bring her accuser to justice.An Orange County public defender has tallied 57 tainted criminal cases stemming from the county's informant scandal. New revelations of alleged misconduct could affect dozens more.
Exoneration Wrongful Conviction Eyewitness Testimony Coerced Confession Conviction Review Unit
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.
Wrongfully Convicted Angelenos Exonerated After 17 YearsTwo Angelenos, Charlotte Pleytez and Lombardo Palacios, were exonerated after serving 17 years in prison for a murder they didn't commit. The case was reviewed due to concerns about eyewitness identification and a coerced confession from Palacios.
Read more »
DA Vacates Convictions of Two in 2007 Murder CaseDistrict Attorney Nathan Hochman has vacated the convictions of Charlotte Pleytez and Lombardo Palacios in the 2007 murder of a man in East Hollywood, following a judge's earlier decision to overturn their convictions. Hochman apologized for the years of hardship they endured due to the wrongful convictions and emphasized the importance of ensuring justice is served, even in past cases.
Read more »
They were locked up 17 years ago for a murder. L.A.'s new D.A. is setting them freeLombardo Palacios and Charlotte Pleytez were convicted of a 2007 gang-related murder. They maintained their innocence, and on Friday, L.A.'s new D.A. agreed with his more liberal predecessor that they should be freed.
Read more »
Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs won't play Sunday against Charlotte with lingering knee issueDallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs didn’t travel with the team and will miss Sunday’s game at Charlotte because of a lingering knee issue.
Read more »
Houston Rockets vs. Charlotte Hornets Injury ReportThe Rockets take on LaMelo Ball and the Hornets today.
Read more »
Former Gophers defensive lineman Trill Carter shot in CharlotteTrill Carter, who played under P.J. Fleck at the University of Minnesota from 2019 to 2022, is recovering after being shot in Charlotte late on the night of Dec. 12.
Read more »