A Manhattan judge has vacated the murder conviction of Henry Ruiz, who spent 25 years in prison for a 1993 killing, after a review uncovered new evidence that may have been withheld by prosecutors. The evidence included thousands of dollars in payments made to the mother of the key eyewitness.
Case Background
Ruiz, now 58, was convicted in 1994 for the fatal shooting of Emmanuel Felix, an alleged drug dealer in Harlem. He has maintained his innocence throughout his incarceration and was released on parole in 2019. “I feel like I can finally breathe again,” he said on Monday, leaving the courthouse accompanied by family and attorneys.
At the hearing, Judge Robert Mandelbaum rebuked former Assistant District Attorney Helen Sturm for her “troubling” refusal to participate in the reinvestigation. “To this court, that speaks volumes,” he said. Sturm called the judge’s comments “inappropriate,” adding that she was not required “to go over a case from 30 years ago.”
Renewed Interest and Investigation
The case gained renewed attention after New York City Detective Carlos Vasquez stumbled upon Ruiz's file while investigating another killing and became convinced of his innocence. The Manhattan district attorney’s post-conviction review unit then opened an inquiry two years ago.
The review revealed that prosecutors had provided payments and housing worth $17,000 to the mother of a 13-year-old girl, the only witness who identified Ruiz as the shooter. There was no evidence these payments were disclosed to the defense, as legally required. When investigators contacted Sturm, she declined to be interviewed. “What do you want me to say? That I feel badly that he was convicted?” she said. “You don’t get a long sentence like this without evidence.” She added that she did not recall the exact details but believed the prosecution followed disclosure laws.
Shifting Testimony and Alibi
According to the review, the teenager’s testimony shifted dramatically during the trial. At one point, when asked to identify Ruiz, she pointed to someone else in the courtroom audience. Despite three family members corroborating his alibi, Ruiz was convicted of second-degree murder. At age 25, he was sentenced to 25 years to life by Judge Harold Rothwax, known as the “Prince of Darkness” for his harsh sentences.
Investigators also discovered that a federal informant had admitted in 2002 to paying someone to kill Felix, and that Ruiz was not involved. A second person came forward the same year to support that account. Prosecutors under then-Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau were aware of these statements but did not reopen the case or inform Ruiz’s appeal team, according to court filings.
Prosecutor’s Response
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg stated that dozens of interviews and a thorough document review produced new evidence that “significantly undermines the case presented at trial.”
Ruiz’s attorney, Ron Kuby, emphasized that this was not a case of minor errors. “This wasn’t the result of some terrible mistake,” he said. “This conviction was obtained through repeated and calculated misconduct by a former district attorney’s office in suppressing evidence.”
As he wiped away tears, Ruiz expressed hope that the outcome would inspire reviews of other cases. “There are a lot of people in there who are the same as me, who deserve justice,” he said. “I hope this never happens to anybody ever again.”
