Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Murder |
Sentence: |
50 years to life imprisonment |
Years Imprisoned: |
17 |
Year Crime: |
1988 |
Year Convicted: |
1990 |
Year Cleared: |
2008 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
New York |
County or Region of Crime: |
Suffolk |
City of Crime: |
Belle Terre |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Martin H. Tankleff was wongly convicted in 1990 of the 1988 murder of his parents on Long Island, New York. Sentenced to 50 years ot life in prison. Based on new documentary and testimonial evidence undermining his conviction, and pointing to his father's business partner as hiring three men to carry out the murder, the New York Court of Appeals set-aside Tankleff's conviction and sentence on December 18, 2007. He was released on bail on December 27, 2007. On January 2, 2008 the prosecutor announced that the charges would be dismissed against Martin Tankleff. However, shortly afterwards the New York State Attorney General's Office took over investigation of the case. On June 30, 2008 the AG's Office announced that Tankleff would not be retried. Martin Tankleff was wrongly imprisoned for more than 17 years. In January 2014 Tankleff settled his wrongful imprisonment lawsuit against the State of New York for $3.37 million in compensation. " |
Conviction Caused By: |
False confession under intense police questioning and trickery. |
Innocence Proved By: |
"New York Court of Appeals set-aside Tankleff's conviction and sentence on December 18, 2007. On June 30, 2008 the New York Attorney General's Office announced that the charges would be dismissed against Tankleff." |
Defendant Aided By: |
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Compensation Awarded: |
"$3,370,000 (State of New York, Jan. 2014)" |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
19 |
Age When Released: |
36 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
White |
Information Source 1: |
"People v Tankleff, 2006-03617 (NY Ct of Appeals 12-18-2007)" |
Information Location 1: |
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Information Source 2: |
"Suffolk DA drops Martin Tankleff murder case, By Michael Amon and Michael Frazier, Newsday, January 2, 2008" |
Information Location 2: |
"http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-lispot0103,0,5881971.story?coll=ny-homepage-mezz" |
Information Source 3: |
"Tankleff will not have to face new trial, By Alfonso Castillo, Newsday, July 1, 2008" |
Information Location 3: |
"http://www.newsday.com/news/local/suffolk/ny-litank015747886jul01,0,703765.story" |
Information Source 4: |
"Martin Tankleff settles false imprisonment suit for $3.37M, By Andrew Smith (staff), Newsday, January 7, 2014" |
Information Location 4: |
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/martin-tankleff-settles-false-imprisonment-suit-for-3-37m-1.6751751 |
Information Source 5: |
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Information Location 5: |
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Book About Case: |
"A Criminal Injustice: A True Crime, a False Confession, and the Fight to Free Marty Tankleff, by Richard Firstman and Jay Salpeter, Ballantine Books (2008)" |
Book Information: |
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl/9780345491213.html |
Book About Case (2): |
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Book Information (2): |
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Movie About Case: |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org