Shocking Twist! ‘Sing Sing’ Star Freed After 20 Years for a Murder He Didn’t Commit!

Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez, a performer from the film “Sing Sing,” has gained relief from a long-standing conviction for a crime he didn’t commit in the late 90s. The charge – murdering a retired police officer – was recently dropped by New York prosecutors.

On Monday, District Attorney of Manhattan, Alvin Bragg, declared that Velazquez’s conviction for murder would be nullified. This decision was due to the emergence of “fresh DNA proof” which, in the eyes of the prosecution, confirmed his innocence. Bragg stated, “JJ Velazquez has endured the affliction of this conviction for over a quarter of a century, and it is my hope that today ushers in a new phase in his life.”

Back in 1999, Velazquez, now 48, was found guilty for the murder of Albert Ward, a retired police officer. In 1998, Ward was shot dead while attempting to prevent an armed robbery and retaliating against two suspects, including the gunman, at an underground gambling establishment in Harlem. Velazquez, who claimed he was in the Bronx and on a phone call with his mother during the incident, received a 25-year-to-life sentence at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility. He was granted an early release and pardon in 2021 by then-Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo.

The District Attorney’s office acknowledged on Monday that despite rejecting requests to cancel Velazquez’s conviction in 2014 and 2018, they have finally reevaluated his case. This reassessment led the chief medical examiner to compare Velazquez’s DNA with the DNA found on a betting slip that was handled by the shooter.

The examination showed that Velazquez’s DNA was not present in the DNA mixture found on the betting slip. The press release on Monday stated, “this form of DNA comparison was not accessible at the time of Velazquez’s trial in the late ’90s.”

Velazquez, addressing the media outside the courthouse, declared that the recent effort by the district attorney to exonerate him was not a cause for celebration. With his family and friends around him and wearing a black cap with the words “End of an error,” he stated that this moment was a condemnation of the system.

In the drama “Sing Sing” by Greg Kwedar, Velazquez shares the spotlight with actors Colman Domingo and Paul Raci. The film showcases the Rehabilitation Through the Arts theater program for men incarcerated at the New York prison. Other former prisoners turned actors, Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, Sean “Dino” Johnson, David “Dap” Giraudy, and Patrick “Preme” Griffin, also star in the film. Katie Walsh, a critic for the L.A. Times, commended their “impressive performances.”

“‘Sing Sing’ serves as a compelling case for the existence of humanity in a place intended to strip it away,” Walsh observed.

Additional information for this report was provided by The Associated Press.