A man named Daniel Saldana has been released from prison after serving 33 years for a crime that prosecutors in Los Angeles now say he didn’t commit. Saldana was sentenced to 45 years in prison for attempted murder in a 1989 incident where six high school students were fired upon while driving, but a reexamination of the case this year revealed that Saldana is innocent of the crimes he was convicted of. The exonerating evidence was disclosed during a 2017 parole hearing for one of Saldana’s codefendants, but the information was not shared with Saldana or his attorney until February of this year.
Following CNN, a man named Daniel Saldana has been freed from prison after serving 33 years for a crime that Los Angeles prosecutors now say he didn’t commit. This revelation comes after reviewing exonerating evidence that was revealed by another prisoner six years ago. The district attorney announced the news, stating that a reexamination of the case this year “determined that Daniel Saldana is innocent of the crimes he was convicted of and spent 33 years in prison for.”
Saldana was sentenced to 45 years in prison after he and two others were convicted of attempted murder in a 1989 incident in which a group of six high school students were fired upon while driving, apparently mistaken for gang members. Two of the students were injured. But the recent reexamination of the case has led to the conclusion that Saldana is innocent of the crimes he was convicted of.
“I never lost hope,” Saldana said at the news conference. “I’m innocent – 100 percent – I’ve been saying that from day one,” he said. The exonerating evidence was disclosed during a 2017 parole hearing for one of Saldana’s codefendants, who told the parole board that not only did Saldana not participate in the shooting, but he wasn’t present at the time.
The new information was not shared with Saldana or his attorney, Following the district attorney. It wasn’t until February that the statement from the parole hearing was presented to the district attorney’s office by California’s Board of Parole Hearings, which since 2017 has new members.
“This information was clearly exonerating information, which the DA’s office was required to turn over to Mr. Saldana or his attorney, but it was not turned over. This failure to investigate this matter in 2017 cost Mr. Saldana an additional six years in prison,” the district attorney said.
This case highlights the importance of thoroughly investigating evidence and ensuring that all relevant information is shared with defense attorneys. Failure to do so can have devastating consequences, as it did for Saldana, who spent 33 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.
While Saldana’s release is certainly a positive outcome, it can’t undo the years of his life that were taken from him. It’s important that we continue to work towards a justice system that is fair and just for all, and that we hold those responsible for wrongful convictions accountable for their actions.
In retrospect, the release of Daniel Saldana after 33 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit is a powerful reminder of the importance of thoroughly investigating evidence and ensuring that all relevant information is shared with defense attorneys. While Saldana’s release is certainly a positive outcome, it also highlights the need for continued efforts towards a justice system that is fair and just for all.
