Hawaii Man Freed After 30 Years: DNA Evidence Exposes Wrongful Conviction
After 30 years of wrongful imprisonment for a 1994 murder, Gordon Cordeiro was released due to newly discovered DNA evidence that excluded him as the source and implicated an unknown individual. A judge vacated his conviction, citing this evidence alongside concerns about unreliable jailhouse informant testimony and ineffective counsel. Although the prosecution plans to appeal and request bail, Cordeiro, who declared his release “Freedom Friday,” expressed gratitude and a desire to see his mother. The Hawaii Innocence Project attributes Cordeiro’s wrongful conviction to police mishandling of the case and the reliance on incentivized informants.
John Q. Hosedrinker