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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Rape |
Sentence: |
3-1/2 years |
Years Imprisoned: |
1 |
Year Crime: |
2016 |
Year Convicted: |
2016 |
Year Cleared: |
2017 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Finland |
County or Region of Crime: |
Tampere |
City of Crime: |
Tampere |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Cuban volleyball player was wrongly convicted on September 20, 2016 of aggravated rape in the gang-rape of a Finnish woman by four Cuban volleyball players in a hotel in Tampere, Finland on the night of July 2-3, 2016. The volleyball player was sentenced to 3-1/2 years in prison. He appealed on the basis that while he was present when the assault began, he disapproved and left the room without participating. He admitted he did not contact the authorities during the assault. On June 30, 2017 the Turku Appeals Court set-aside the volleyball player's conviction on the basis there was no evidence he took part in the rape. He was immediately released after three days short of one year in custody. On August 12, 2017 the volleyball player filed a claim for wrongful imprisonment compensation from the Finnish government. He sought about 381,000 euros in damages for losing a playing contract in Argentina due to his incarceration, missing out on playing at the Rio Olympics, and that he suffered mentally from being in prison in a foreign country where he did not understand the language. On September 26, 2017 the Finnish State Treasury announced it had awarded the volleyball player a total of $199,815 euros (($235,230): 500 euros per day in custody plus ancillary damages. The four of the volleyball players who participated in the rape were found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison. Two of those men had photographed the rape as it was taking place. Eight Cuban volleyball players were initially arrested, but two were released soon afterwards, and anotehr was acquitted after the trial in September 2016. The players had been in Finland for several World League volleyball matches before the Rio Olympics. The government did not release the name of any of the Cuban volleyball players. The exchange rate on Sept. 26, 2017 was 1.177239 euros per US$1." |
Conviction Caused By: |
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Innocence Proved By: |
"On June 30, 2017 the Turku Appeals Court set-aside the volleyball player's conviction on the basis there was no evidence he took part in the rape. He was immediately released after three days short of one year in custody." |
Defendant Aided By: |
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Compensation Awarded: |
"199,815 euros (US$235,230) (Finland's govt., 9-26-2017)" |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
20 |
Age When Released: |
21 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
Black |
Information Source 1: |
"Cuban volleyball player cleared of rape charges, seeks damages, By Staff, Uutiset, July 3, 2017" |
Information Location 1: |
https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/cuban_volleyball_player_cleared_of_rape_charges_seeks_damages/9702426 |
Information Source 2: |
"Freed Cuban national volleyballer seeks damages, By Staff, Uutiset, August 24, 2017" |
Information Location 2: |
https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/freed_cuban_national_volleyballer_seeks_damages/9794810 |
Information Source 3: |
"Finland pays damages to unjustly-jailed Cuban volleyball player, By Staff, Uutiset, September 26, 2017" |
Information Location 3: |
https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finland_pays_damages_to_unjustly-jailed_cuban_volleyball_player/9851761 |
Information Source 4: |
"Five Cuban volleyball players convicted of Tampere rape, one acquitted, By Staff, Uutiset, September 20, 2016" |
Information Location 4: |
https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/five_cuban_volleyball_players_convicted_of_tampere_rape_one_acquitted/9179017 |
Information Source 5: |
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Information Location 5: |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org