Major Development. Brooklyn New York; Derrick Hamilton; D.A. Ken Thompson plans to vacate Hamilton's conviction (after almost 20 years behind bars) ) having concluded that witness testimony does not match the scientific evidence. (NYPD Detective Louis Scarcella, who has come under fire for cutting corners in five homicide convictions that were later overturned, allegedly strong-armed a witness, according to an affidavit filed in the case.) New York Daily News. (Must Read. HL);

STORY: "Brooklyn man's murder conviction to be vacated," by reporter Reuven Blau, published by the New York Daily News on January 5, 2015.

SUB-HEADING:  "Derrick Hamilton, 46, a father of three, has long argued he was in Connecticut when Nathaniel Cash was gunned down in Bedford-Stuyvesant, in 1991. Thompson’s review concluded that the witness testimony did not match the scientific evidence."

 GIST: "Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson plans to vacate the conviction of a man who spent 20 years in prison for a homicide, citing ballistic and other scientific evidence. Derrick Hamilton, 46, a father of three, has long argued he was in Connecticut when Nathaniel Cash was gunned down in Bedford-Stuyvesant, in 1991.........The only witness against him — the victim’s girlfriend, Jewel Smith — retracted her testimony in 2011 and lobbied officials to release him. Thompson’s review concluded that her testimony did not match the scientific evidence.........During the trial, Smith testified Cash was shot in the back and then ran several steps upstairs, according to court records. But the ballistics evidence shows Cash was actually shot directly in the heart and ankle by someone standing in front of him, Thompson said. Hamilton went to jail in 1991, sentenced to 25 years, but insisted for years that he was innocent and refused to apologize before a parole board. The married father of three was released early, in 2011. NYPD Detective Louis Scarcella, who has come under fire for cutting corners in five homicide convictions that were later overturned, allegedly strong-armed a witness, according to an affidavit filed in the case. Thompson’s office is currently reviewing approximately 100 cases; the DA has so far cleared 11 men — two of them posthumously — who served years for murders they did not commit."

The entire story can be found at:

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn-da-ken-thompson-plans-vacate-murder-convicton-article-1.2066663

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: 
 
Dear Reader. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following this case.
 
I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located  near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site.

The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:

http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith

Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
 
http://smithforensic.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-charles-smith-award-presented-to_28.html
 
I look forward to hearing from readers at:

hlevy15@gmail.com.  Harold Levy; Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;