'Sing Sing' Actor JJ Velazquez Cleared of Wrongful Murder Conviction After Serving Nearly 24 Years in Prison

After serving nearly 24 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, “Sing Sing” actor Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez has been exonerated of his wrongful murder conviction.

Velazquez fought back tears, beat his chest and raised his fist while hugging friends and family after being officially exonerated by the judge at a downtown Manhattan courthouse Monday morning .

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Velazquez co-stars with Colman Domingo in the prison drama A24 which follows a group of incarcerated men who find purpose by performing in theater productions. Featuring an ensemble of formerly incarcerated actors, “Sing Sing” is set at the Sing Sing Correctional Center, where Velazquez was falsely imprisoned.

Among those in the courtroom who showed support for Velazquez was Brent Buell, the playwright and theater professor played by Paul Raci in the film. Several A24 staff members were also present. As Velazquez walked toward the elevators, the crowd cheered, waved Puerto Rican flags and chanted “¡Si se puede!” »

In 1998, Velazquez was wrongly convicted of the murder of a retired New York police officer. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, even though he did not match the suspect’s description and had an alibi corroborated by phone records.

“Dateline NBC” conducted an investigation into Velazquez’s case that began in 2002 and lasted more than a decade. The resulting 2012 show introduced new evidence in Velazquez’s favor and triggered a review by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit, which ultimately decided to uphold the conviction.

Nearly a decade later, on August 17, 2021, Velazquez received an executive pardon from New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo. On September 9, 2021, Velazquez was released from Sing Sing Prison after 23 years, eight months and seven days of imprisonment.

In October 2022, during a forum on criminal law reform, Joe Biden apologized to Velazquez “on behalf of all of society” for his wrongful conviction. But at the time, Velazquez still had to get a pass from a parole officer to sit with the president. Velazquez said Variety while waiting for exoneration, he will finally remove the “scarlet letter” which was placed on his chest. “It’s much deeper than discrimination. This amounts to an attack on a person’s human dignity. I’m getting some of my dignity back,” Velazquez said.

Yet, he added, “there is nothing they can do to give me back the 24 years I lost, and all the tribulations that result.” There is a spirit of demand, but there is still a lot of unresolved trauma – which the system refuses to resolve. Velazquez said that while Biden’s apology “didn’t change my lifestyle,” even a simple “sorry” from the government after a wrongful conviction is extremely rare.

Velazquez is a criminal law reform activist and founding member of Voices From Within, an educational initiative that addresses the epidemic of crime and incarceration directly through the voices of incarcerated people.

He began filming “Sing Sing” less than a year after being released from the titular prison, calling the project “one of the most important things I’ve done in my life.” Based on a true story, the film follows John “Divine G” Whitfield (played by Colman), a man imprisoned in Sing Sing for a crime he did not commit. He finds purpose, along with a group of other incarcerated men, through the prison’s arts rehabilitation program. From A24 and director Greg Kwedar, “Sing Sing” operated on a community-based financial model, meaning every member of the cast and crew received the same rate, and they all shared in the benefits of the success of the film.

In a joint statement to Variety“Sing Sing” producers Kwedar, Monique Walton and Clint Bentley said Velazquez’s exoneration was “yet another step in his powerful journey.” A moment that he will undoubtedly use for the good of others and to defend those who are still behind the walls. Because that’s just who he is.

In addition to his activism, Velazquez said he hopes to do more acting. “Knowing that you can make money while having fun and being around great people,” Velazquez said, “I’m doing what I’m passionate about. What I always said I was going to do when I was inside, I’m doing it now.

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