Posted on by

Jon-Adrian Velazquez, convicted of killing ex-cop Albert Ward, is exonerated

Jon-Adrian Velazquez, convicted of killing ex-cop Albert Ward, is exonerated

A 48-year-old Manhattan man who spent more than half his life behind bars for the shooting death of a retired NYPD detective was released Monday after new DNA evidence on him was cleared.

Jon-Adrian Velazquez, who was just 22 when he was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the 1998 killing of ex-cop Albert Ward during a botched robbery in Harlem, was released by a judge amid cheering supporters in the courtroom.

“I’m lucky to be free,” Velazquez told reporters after the trial.

“Even though I was wrongfully convicted for 27 years, I asked myself: Who am I? I am a man who is only free because of a documentary, several podcasts, a film and a book. They made enough people stop and ask, “Did that really happen?” And how could it be?

Jon-Adrian Velazquez raises his elated mother’s hand outside Manhattan court after he was acquitted of a 1998 murder of a retired police officer. Steven Hirsch

“We shouldn’t have a system where it’s so much easier to lock up the poor than to free the innocent,” he said. “It’s always been that way, but it doesn’t have to be this way because we deserve better. Why? Because we are better.”

As he spoke, he wore a cap that read “End of a Mistake,” a reference to a Joe Biden campaign slogan.

Velazquez, who served nearly 27 years behind bars, was the subject of a long-running campaign for his release, including an Emmy-winning documentary about his conviction on NBC’s “Dateline” that aired in 2012.

Prominent figures such as activist actor Martin Sheen have joined his cause in recent years.

Velazquez has been the subject of various attempts to free him, including an Emmy-winning NBC documentary.
Velazquez’s supporters included celebrities such as activist actor Martin Sheen, seen here outside the Manhattan courthouse. Steven Hirsch

Velazquez was only 22 years old when he was charged with murder on January 27, 1998.

Authorities alleged that Velazquez was one of two thugs carrying out a robbery at a gambling den on Frederick Douglas Boulevard when Ward arrived at the scene and pulled out a gun.

During a struggle, Ward was shot by one of the men, identified as “Tee.”

Velazquez was arrested, convicted and sentenced to life in prison after police claimed he was “tea.”

But over the years, more and more supporters rallied behind him and claimed he was innocent. His attorneys filed motions to vacate the conviction twice, in 2014 and 2018, but lost the bids.

Velazquez, who spent nearly 27 years behind bars for murder, appears in court Monday to hear the overturning of his conviction. Steven Hirsch

In 2022, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg ordered his office’s newly created Post-Conviction Justice Unit to investigate the case, including a review of DNA evidence.

The investigation found that DNA on a betting slip that “Tee” had processed before the shooting did not match Velazquez – exposing him as the perpetrator.

“JJ Velazquez has lived in the shadow of his convictions for more than 25 years, and I hope today marks a new chapter for him,” Bragg said in a statement.

“These convictions have profound consequences for individuals and their families, endanger public safety and undermine trust in the criminal justice system, which is why this work is of the utmost importance to me,” the prosecutor said.

Wanted poster issued after the 1998 murder of retired NYPD detective Albert Ward, which led to the arrest of Jon-Adrian Velazquez.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said the post-conviction unit overturned 10 wrongful convictions.

“It is so easy to lock someone up on flimsy facts when right behind us is the mighty truth waving its arms, warning us of the terrible miscarriage of justice that is about to go down,” Velazquez said.

“Nobody listens,” he added. “There is now too much anger and hubris in the legal system. And what it takes is fairness and compassion.”