A man from Mass. wrongly convicted released after 27 years in prison| Top stories
A man from Mass. wrongly convicted released after 27 years in prison
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A Massachusetts man is no longer in state custody after spending more than two decades in jail for what the court is now calling a conviction for wrongful murder and armed robbery. James Lucien, 48, was serving a life sentence following his 1995 conviction, which was linked to the fatal 1994 shooting against Ryan Edwards, 23. Lucien had a moving reunion with his family after Judge Robert Ullman acquitted the convictions against him Tuesday in Suffolk County Superior Court. “I feel good because I’m with my family now,” Lucien said. “I have been waiting for this for 27 years and now I have the opportunity to be free.” Lucien’s defense attorney Dennis Toomey argued in Tuesday’s hearing that the murder and theft convictions against his client should be dismissed due to an improper police investigation. “The heart of our argument on appeal here is that the jury simply did not hear any evidence they could have used to acquit Mr. Lucien, so it did not receive due process,” said Toomey. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said a former Boston police officer implicated in Lucien’s case, Det. John Brazil, participated in a sprawling bribery program from 1990 to 1996 with other operatives, in which they conspired to lie, steal, and steal from drug dealers by submitting bogus warrant applications and then seizing money. money, representing the proceeds of the drug trade, and keeping it to themselves “Almost everywhere we look in this case there are serious problems,” Suffolk Deputy Special Prosecutor Jeanne Kempthorne said at the time. from Tuesday’s hearing. Family members of Ryan Edwards, the man shot in 1994, opposed Lucien’s release. “I think it’s horrible,” said Dionne Richards, Edwards’ sister. “Now he is free and there is no one to help our family, and the murder of my brother is another unsolved murder.” Ullman urged Edwards’ family not to blame Lucien, but rather Brazil, who allegedly lied and tampered with evidence. “It’s clear to me that justice may not have been served on the murder and armed robbery charges,” the judge said. Both pleaded guilty. Brazil was granted immunity in exchange of his testimony and has not served a sentence and is currently receiving a pension.
A Massachusetts man is no longer in state custody after spending more than two decades in jail for what the court is now calling a conviction for wrongful murder and armed robbery.
James Lucien, 48, was serving a life sentence following his 1995 conviction, which was linked to the fatal 1994 shooting of 23-year-old Ryan Edwards.
Lucien had a moving reunion with his family after Judge Robert Ullman acquitted the convictions against him Tuesday in Suffolk County Superior Court.
“I feel good because I am with my family now,” said Lucien. “I have been waiting for this for 27 years, and now I have the opportunity to be free.”
Dennis Toomey, Lucien’s defense attorney, argued in Tuesday’s hearing that the murder and robbery convictions against his client should be dismissed due to an improper police investigation.
“The heart of our argument on appeal here is that the jury simply did not hear any evidence they could have used to acquit Mr. Lucien, so it did not receive due process,” said Toomey.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said a former Boston police officer involved in Lucien’s case, Det. John Brazil, participated in a sprawling bribery program from 1990 to 1996 with other agents, in which they conspired to lie, steal, and steal from drug dealers by submitting bogus warrant applications and then seizing money. money, representing the proceeds of the drug trade, and keeping it for themselves.
“Almost everywhere we look in this case there are serious issues,” Suffolk Special Assistant Prosecutor Jeanne Kempthorne said during Tuesday’s hearing.
Family members of Ryan Edwards, the man shot dead in 1994, opposed Lucien’s release.
“I think it’s horrible,” said Dionne Richards, Edwards’ sister. “Now he is free and there is no one to help our family, and the murder of my brother is another unsolved murder.”
Ullman urged Edwards’ family not to blame Lucien, but rather Brazil, who allegedly lied and tampered with evidence.
“It is clear to me that justice may not have been served on the murder and armed robbery charges,” the judge said.
According to the district attorney’s office, Brazil cooperated with a federal investigation and testified against other criminals and dishonored Boston police detectives Kenneth Acerra and Walter Robinson, who both pleaded guilty. Brazil was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony and did not serve a sentence. He is currently receiving a pension.
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