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The city has paid a $1 million settlement to a Bronx man held on Rikers Island for more than two years without ever being charged with a crime in order to force him to testify against two gang members who had robbed him, the Daily News has learned.
Incredible as it sounds, Russell Hernandez ended up serving more time behind bars than the perpetrators who nearly killed him, thanks to bungling prosecutors in the office of Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson.
“I was victimized twice,” Hernandez, 56, told The News in an exclusive interview.
After Hernandez was finally sprung from his Kafka-esque nightmare, he says he received a form letter from DA Johnson thanking him for his cooperation in the case. In fact, Hernandez was never called to testify at a trial of the thugs, who pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and each received sentences of five years probation.
“It is troubling that Mr. Hernandez was victimized by the district attorney who was supposed to protect him and fight for him,” said his lawyer, Ugochukwu Uzoh, who hammered out the seven-figure settlement with city lawyers last month.
To this day, there has been no apology from prosecutors for taking Hernandez’s freedom and forcing his two young daughters to live with their godparents while he rotted in jail and suffered a mental breakdown.
Isn't this country supposed to be the land of LIBERTY? Where is "justice for all?" This is happening over and over again?
Why do voters and taxpayers continue to allow district attorneys to get away with incompetence? In this particular case, the DA should have to spend 2 years at Rikers or repay the city $1 million. Until there are consequences, this carelessness and ineptitude will persist.
People are not supposed to be put in jail and left to rot when they haven't even been convicted of a crime.
Isn't this country supposed to be the land of LIBERTY? Where is "justice for all?" This is happening over and over again?
Why do voters and taxpayers continue to allow district attorneys to get away with incompetence? In this particular case, the DA should have to spend 2 years at Rikers or repay the city $1 million. Until there are consequences, this carelessness and ineptitude will persist.
People are not supposed to be put in jail and left to rot when they haven't even been convicted of a crime.
Law and order people run amok. Every single criminal has got to be locked up, and we don't care how many innocent people get locked up with them. Fill the prisons. The sign of a great country is how many people are incarcerated. That's why America is the greatest country, because we have the most prisoners.
And if you don't agree with that, then you must just be a criminal yourself, or one of those innocent people that got locked up. In which case we don't care about you anyway.
Law and order people run amok. Every single criminal has got to be locked up, and we don't care how many innocent people get locked up with them. Fill the prisons. The sign of a great country is how many people are incarcerated. That's why America is the greatest country, because we have the most prisoners.
And if you don't agree with that, then you must just be a criminal yourself, or one of those innocent people that got locked up. In which case we don't care about you anyway.
Isn't this country supposed to be the land of LIBERTY? Where is "justice for all?" This is happening over and over again?
Why do voters and taxpayers continue to allow district attorneys to get away with incompetence? In this particular case, the DA should have to spend 2 years at Rikers or repay the city $1 million. Until there are consequences, this carelessness and ineptitude will persist.
People are not supposed to be put in jail and left to rot when they haven't even been convicted of a crime.
I agree with you and DEFINITELY agree with the bold. Except I wouldn't give him the option of paying his way out. Let him hang out with the inmates.
We honestly need an investigation of our entire justice system.
The irony of calling ourselves the Land of the Free when we have 25% of the world's prison population and 1/3rd of our citizens are labeled criminals.
I agree with you and DEFINITELY agree with the bold. Except I wouldn't give him the option of paying his way out. Let him hang out with the inmates.
With further thought, I agree with you. No option. Let the DA or ADA experience what the victim went through with the other inmates and the loss of freedom.
The American public is largely ignorant of the Justice system- this allows DA's to do whatever they want, Judges, police, and detectives as well. People say "they can't do that- that's illegal". They can and will do things that are illegal if it suits their agenda- who is going to stop them?! Until lawsuits are filed and take years to work thier way thru the system, they get away with it. They are no more honest than the average inmate, and because of their power- can hurt alot more people. DA's have NO ACCOUNTABILITY, nor do Judges- that is a reccipe for abuse if there ever was one. Even when it's proven they screwed someone over illegally, DA's pay no penalty- legal or otherwise. Until it happens to you- just stay asleep and believe they are the "good guys"!
Some people complain and demand change yet do nothing but complain, to no one in particular. Then, one day, some criminal does something to them and the screaming starts, where are the police, how could they let that convicted scumbag out of prison, who lets these criminals run around free in society? That doesn't excuse what happened in this case but it isn't happening all the time either now is it?
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