Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Murder |
Sentence: |
Life imprisonment with 10 year minimum |
Years Imprisoned: |
2.5 |
Year Crime: |
1998 |
Year Convicted: |
2006 |
Year Cleared: |
2007 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Australia |
County or Region of Crime: |
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City of Crime: |
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Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Salvatore Fazzari was a co-defendant of Jose Martinez and Carlos Pereiras. The three men were wrongly convicted in April 2006 of murdering an intoxicated man they had encountered at a bus stop, by throwing him off a bridge. Two of the three defendant's said that all they did was kick him and then left him while he was sitting alive near the bus stop. The three defendants were sentenced to life in prison with a 10 year minimum. On July 6, 2007, the Western Australia Court of Appeals quashed the conviction of all three defendants, ruling that their conviction was based on speculation and not evidence that they murdered the man, and ordered their immediate release. The three defendants were wrongly imprisoned for two-and-a-half years. The wrongful conviction of the three men inspired the founding of The Western Australian Innocence Project ('IPWA') on the 7th of July 2006 -- the day after their convictions were quashed." |
Conviction Caused By: |
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Innocence Proved By: |
"On July 6, 2007, the Western Australia Court of Appeals quashed the conviction of all three defendants, ruling that their conviction was based on speculation and not evidence that they murdered the man, and ordered their immediate release." |
Defendant Aided By: |
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Compensation Awarded: |
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Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
25 |
Age When Released: |
27 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
White |
Information Source 1: |
Martinez -v- The State of Western Australia [2007] WASCA 143 |
Information Location 1: |
http://www.supremecourt.wa.gov.au/ |
Information Source 2: |
"Footbridge murder convictions thrown out, ABC News, July 6, 2007" |
Information Location 2: |
http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/06/1971620.htm?section=justin |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org