Wrongful Conviction Parole Efforts
The Foundation is happy to report that we have assisted seven of our clients in obtaining parole while they maintained their innocence. In general, when prisoners maintain their innocence at the parole board rather than express remorse and take responsibility, they are denied parole. Despite that, we have successfully assisted seven clients obtain parole, and an additional client was released on compassionate release, with his release application highlighting the ongoing review of his case by a Conviction Review Unit.
One of these cases is that of Carolyn Warmus, who may have served 27 years in prison for a crime she did not commit. The Foundation initially screened Carolyn’s case and approved it, then connected her with Dennis Kelly, Esq of the law firm Kelly, Grossman & Kerrigan, LLP, to work towards her exoneration in collaboration with The Foundation. Once founder Jeffrey Deskovic became an attorney, Mr. Kelly reached back out to The Foundation, asking it to enter as co-counsel, joining Mr. Kelly along with John O’Hara, Esq.
Upon entering the case, the Foundation was able to obtain the consent of the new Westchester DA Mimi Rocah’s office for DNA testing, on the evening before oral arguments were going to be held at the Appellate Division. Prior to entering the case representing Carolyn, The Foundation sent several letters of support on her behalf to the parole board urging her release on parole. Parole was denied initially, based upon a misbehavior report which was later reversed. On her second parole board appearance, accompanied by another letter of support which the board found persuasive, Carolyn was paroled.
Carolyn Warmus Case Media Coverage:
https://hudsonvalley.news12.com/da-new-dna-testing-to-be-done-in-1989-fatal-attraction-case