A life sentence reversed, 21 years later
“I’m innocent, I knew it would come,’’ Angel Echavarria said about the day he’d walk out of prison.
That day came Monday, more than 21 years into a life sentence for a crime he says he didn’t commit. Over the past two decades, the world outside of Echavarria’s prison cell has changed. His children grew into adults. His mother died. Technology evolved past flip phones.
He maintained his innocence until Monday, when a judge granted him a new trial and he was released from prison. Upon his release he told reporters that the first thing he would do was eat a meal. When pressed, he gave up the menu.
“I like lobster,’’ he said.
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Massachusetts Superior Court Judge David Lowy granted Echavarria, 48, a new trial, citing ineffective counsel. Echavarria was accused of shooting and killing Daniel Gonzalez in his Lynn apartment in 1994, and says he passed on a plea deal from the prosecution because he was innocent.
“I never gave up,’’ Echavarria told reporters. “When you’re innocent you keep your hope.’’
Prompted by Brandeis University’s Justice Brandeis Law Project, Echavarria gained new legal representation which filed the motion for a new trial. His release was granted on the terms that he wear a GPS tracking device and not leave the state, pending new charges brought by Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.
“In Massachusetts you could plead guilty and you might be offered second degree or manslaughter,’’ Boston University’s criminal law clinical programs director and professor of law David Rossman told Boston.com. “Part of what that plea deal process does is it makes people gamble.’’
Echavarria refused to take that gamble in 1994, but lost anyway.
Lowy said in a motion granting the release that weak evidence and poor legal representation “leave the court with a compelling belief that justice may not have been done in this case.’’
Echavarria and a co-defendant were both found guilty by a jury, but the co-defendant’s conviction was immediately thrown out by a judge, who cited a lack of evidence. Echavarria was sentenced to life in prison.
A court officer removed Angel Echavarria’s leg irons in Salem Superior Court Monday.
“We’re evaluating our options and have not made a decision at this time as to how we will proceed’’ a spokeswoman for the Essex County District Attorney’s Office told Boston.com.
Like others wrongfully convicted in murder cases, Echavarria’s representation said he refused a plea deal from the prosecution because he was innocent and didn’t think he’d be convicted.
“Sometimes people have an inaccurate view of what the trial may hold,’’ Rossman told Boston.com. “They can’t bring themselves to choose between options when both options are a conviction.’’
Correction: This story previously misstated an account from the victim’s brother was about Echavarria. We regret this error.
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