(AGENPARL) – STANFORD (CA) ven 09 giugno 2023

In January 2023, Ropes & Gray Washington, D.C., partner Chong Park secured a full innocence pardon from Maryland Governor Larry Hogan for client John N. Huffington, who served 32 years in prison for crimes he did not commit, including 10 years on death row. The pro bono case was notable for its length — 33 years and the longest pro bono case in Ropes & Gray’s history — as well as for the many turns it took until the team, led by Park since 2015, ultimately secured the pardon in 2023.

In 2013, DNA testing proved that hair at the crime scene was not Huffington’s. The Circuit Court for Frederick County, Md., vacated the murder convictions and ordered a new trial. The prosecution continued to pursue the case. In 2017, Huffington submitted an Alford plea, a special type of plea by which the defendant asserts his innocence and does not admit to the charged act, while acknowledging that a plea is in his best interests. While he was out of prison, the Alford plea resulted in a judicial conviction that actively hindered his success — in the personal, professional, and financial spheres. A key reason for the Alford plea was the conduct of the state’s attorney, Joseph Cassilly, who Park and his team eventually showed violated ethical and prosecutorial obligations. In October 2021, following a petition from the Maryland Attorney Grievance Commission, the Maryland Court of Appeals unanimously ruled to disbar Cassilly, finding that Cassilly lied to the court and deliberately concealed exculpatory evidence in Huffington’s case. This development led to the eventual gubernatorial pardon. 

In a Ropes & Gray press release, Park said, “Despite his wrongful conviction, John has led an exemplary life, both during his time in prison and upon release. To see John succeed, and to have Governor Hogan finally clear his name, is incredibly inspiring. I cannot begin to tell you how much this day means to John and to our firm that has worked tirelessly on his behalf for over 33 years.”

Fonte/Source: https://law.stanford.edu/stanford-lawyer/articles/chong-park-jd-92-secures-full-innocence-pardon-in-long-running-pro-bono-case/