A Death Row Inmate Released After Nine Years in Texas Prison

Former death row inmate Manuel Velez was convicted of murdering his then-girlfriend's year-old son, Angel Moreno in 2005. In 2008, Velez was sentenced to death because the prosecution stated to the jury, that he would be a threat to society. Velez has an IQ of just 65 and was a construction worker at the time of the murder. When he was arrested for the crime, while interrogated him, police made him sign a typewritten statement that said he committed the murder.

After spending nine years behind bars, by which four of them were spent in death row, his conviction was overturned and he's finally released. The evidence that was put forth proves that he was nowhere close to baby Angel when he was injured.

Manuel Velez was 1,000 miles away when the murder took place. The whole time the culprit for this unforgivable murder was the mother, Acela Moreno. She was the one that hit Angel in the head with her hand or an unknown object.

In Acela Moreno's plea agreement, she was to testify against Velez in exchange for 10 years in prison. This is just sad how a mother can kill her baby and then blame it on the boyfriend. When murders like this take place, the police and the courts seem to take the sides of the mother. Before you convict and condemn a person, get all the facts straight and then make your decision.

Velez never had a chance in court from the beginning, justice wasn't on his side. First, because he was illiterate in both native languages, Spanish and English. Being poor in the United States doesn't help either. He was given a court-appointed lawyer that didn't fight for his freedom or his innocence.

Usually the poor in America are the ones to suffer in the criminal justice system. Just because they can't afford a high-power attorney they're limited in options. Their only option in most cases is pleading guilty and receiving less jail time.

As we know, the state of Texas loves the death penalty and what it stands for. It's the execution capital of the country. You have a man that was almost executed because police were hiding evidence and a court-appointed lawyer was just incompetent. Our legal system just proves to us that they're making a lot of errors, and people are paying for them with their lives. Unfortunate but sadly true.