Hawaii man freed after 30 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit
Gordon Cordeiro, who spent more than half his life in prison for a murder he denied committing, walked out of a Maui correctional center on what he called 'Freedom Friday' thanks to new DNA evidence.
Hours after a judge ruled that the outcome of another potential murder trial against him would likely be altered by the new evidence, Cordeiro was met with cheers, hugs and Hawaiian lei greetings when he emerged from the correctional facility.
'I thank all these people,' he said, referring to relatives, friends and members of his legal team who greeted him outside, according to video from CNN affiliate KHNL. 'These are the people that got me out. Without them, I wouldn't have made it.'
Cordeiro, now 51, was in his 20s when he was convicted of the 1994 murder of Timothy Blaisdell during a drug deal robbery in Maui, according to the Hawaii Innocence Project, which took up his case and argued that new evidence – including DNA test results – showed he was not at the crime scene at the time of the murder. Project lawyers also pointed to what they said was false testimony against him and misconduct by prosecutors.
On Friday, Circuit Court Judge Kirstin Hamman in Maui vacated Cordeiro's murder and robbery convictions and his sentence of life without parole, according to KHNL and The Associated Press. Cordeiro, sitting in court in a prison jumpsuit, wiped away tears as the ruling was delivered.
His father, Dennis Cordeiro, fighting back tears, told KHNL he felt relief, joy and happiness 'that my son can finally do some family celebrations before I leave this world.'
Cordeiro's first trial ended in a hung jury, with a single juror voting to convict, according to the Innocence Project. At a second trial, with the testimony of jailhouse informants looking to lessen their own sentences, prosecutors secured a conviction, Cordeiro's legal team said.
'This is a case that when you hear the facts of the case, you know somewhere deep in your heart there's been some fundamental unfairness going on,' Kenneth Lawson, co-director of the Hawaii Innocence Project, told reporters after Friday's ruling.
The Innocence Project said on its website that 'additional DNA testing on multiple items from the crime scene' was conducted, and that new evidence showed Cordeiro was 'not present anywhere at the crime scene.' It also obtained and compared DNA samples from potential suspects to DNA at the scene, the site said.
In a court document filed last May in support of the petition to vacate the judgment, attorneys wrote that post-conviction DNA tests 'on multiple key pieces of physical evidence have all excluded Cordeiro as the source of the DNA on Blaisdell's body and other critical crime scene evidence.'
The court filing said modern DNA tests showed 'there was an unknown person or persons who went into Blaisdell's pant pockets after he was murdered.'
Maui prosecutors could still refile charges against Cordeiro. Robert Rost, a deputy prosecuting attorney, told KHNL that while DNA evidence could be compelling in a decades-old cold case, he doesn't believe Cordeiro's lawyers 'met the standard to have this conviction set aside.'
Gina Gormley, an attorney for Cordeiro, said: 'If they really sat down and took the time to look at evidence that came out, they should not re-try this case.'
In a court filing, the Hawaii Innocence Project accused the state of relying on 'incentivized jailhouse informants and their fabricated evidence and testimony' about murder-for-hire plots – claims the judge rejected, according to The Associated Press.
Cordeiro's lawyers maintain that on the day of the crime, he was building a shelving unit in the garage at his parents' house. The alibi, they said, was backed up by friends and others who saw him in the garage as well as receipts from where he purchased the shelving supplies.
Cordeiro's legal team believes that another suspect, who the AP reported died in 2020, set up the victim to be robbed during a marijuana deal that ended in a fatal shooting.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Virginia Beach man awaits governor's decision on absolute pardon: ‘It would make me whole'
VIRGINIA BEACH — The months following Darnell Phillips' 2018 release from prison were a whirlwind. Most notably was the standing ovation Phillips received from Virginia lawmakers after he was introduced on the Senate floor several months after being set free. Afterwards, senators shook his hand. Some even offered their apologies for the more than 27 years Phillips spent behind bars for the rape and beating of a 10-year-old girl that he'd always maintained he didn't commit — and that now even the victim was saying he was innocent of. Hosts of multiple podcasts, radio shows, and streaming TV programs also reached out, inviting Phillips onto their programs to tell his story. Among them was Jason Flom, a nationally known criminal justice reform advocate and a founding member of the Innocence Project who hosts a podcast called Wrongful Conviction. 'It was beautiful,' Phillips said of all the people wishing him well and offering their support in those early months. 'But then nothing happened.' Phillips had gotten his freedom back — and reunited with his family and the fiancee who'd supported him throughout his incarceration — but he was still a felon. He hadn't been exonerated, he'd been paroled, which meant that the convictions a jury issued at the end of his August 1990 trial for rape, sodomy and malicious wounding remained on his record. The convictions also required that he register as a sex offender, severely limiting where he could go, what he could do and whom he could be around. 'Every day it's a reminder that I have to be extra careful,' Phillips said. 'You don't want to do anything or go anywhere that could get you in trouble.' With all the attention his case received after his release, and the strong legal support he was still getting from the Innocence Project Clinic at the University of Virginia School of Law, Phillips felt sure that an exoneration from the governor would be coming. But 6½ years later, he's still waiting. 'I'm absolutely stunned,' Phillips said of his inability to get an absolute pardon. 'I should have never been incarcerated. I was robbed of my whole life pretty much since I was 18. I feel I was robbed of time, opportunities, careers, children, and spending time with my family.' Jennifer Givens, director of UVA's Innocence Project Clinic and one of the lawyers who helped Phillips win his freedom, also is discouraged by the lack of action on his petition. Three different governors have been in office since it was first filed. 'I am disappointed but my experience with the pardon process is that things move extraordinarily slow,' Givens said. 'So, no, I'm not surprised.' The failure to get an absolute pardon also prevents Phillips from getting compensation from the government. State law allows exonerated defendants a base compensation of $55,000 per year of incarceration, adjusted annually for inflation. Extra compensation for intentional acts, such as misconduct by law enforcement, could net more. Now 53, Phillips was 19 when he was sent to prison and 46 when released. Even without an inflation adjustment, his more than 27 years behind bars would mean a payment of at least $1.5 million. ___ The brutal assault occurred in the summer of 1990, in a park in Virginia Beach's Timberlake community. A 10-year-old girl was walking her bike across a narrow wooden bridge when a man she'd seen earlier came up behind her, grabbed her and forced her to the water's edge below, where he raped and beat her. The girl told police her attacker was a Black man, about 6 feet tall, with a heavy build and out of shape. He was wearing a white shirt with a green '42' on it, had a gold tooth on the left side, a hoop earring and a black hat with an emblem she believed was red. The description was soon broadcast to other officers. A short time later, a patrol officer came across Phillips, then 18, and his friend, Michael Norfleet, who were standing outside Norfleet's house, about a half-mile from the crime scene. The officer noted that Norfleet was wearing a white shirt, but there were no numbers on it. Phillips had on a brown and black shirt and black pants. But a few things about him caught the officer's attention: He was about 6 feet tall, had a black hat with a red Chicago Bulls logo, and a gold tooth on the left side. The officer took a picture of Phillips with the hat on, which was shown to the victim at the hospital. She told detectives she wasn't sure about the man, but she recognized the hat. Police later showed her two photo lineups, including one that had Phillips' picture in it, but she never picked a photo. During a 2018 phone interview with The Pilot, the victim said she came to believe Phillips was her attacker based on what detectives told her, including false claims that her blood had been found on his underwear, and that he had a history of doing bad things to children. She also said that when she was asked at trial if she saw her attacker in the courtroom, she pointed to Phillips because that's what she had been instructed to do. Phillips was arrested two days after the attack and brought to a police station for a late-night interrogation. Two detectives spent four hours questioning him but were unable to get a confession. A homicide detective then asked if he could have a go at it. He testified at trial that he got a confession within minutes, but conceded he didn't record it, and didn't get a signed statement from Phillips. Also key to the prosecution's case was testimony from a well-known hair analysis expert and former head of the FBI's microscopic hair comparison unit, who told jurors that a hair found on a sheet wrapped around the victim after the attack was similar to ones taken from Phillips. But DNA testing conducted on that same hair years later proved it wasn't his. Also, the microscopic hair comparison science presented at Phillips' trial — and thousands of others across the country — was later discredited as junk science. Phillips testified in his own defense, and denied raping the girl. Norfleet testified that Phillips was with him at the time, and a plastic surgeon told jurors Phillips couldn't have been wearing an earring that day: His ear had been pierced at one time, the surgeon said, but the hole had been closed for years. The all-white jury convicted Phillips of all charges except attempted murder. The panel recommended that he serve 100 years in prison. ___ The UVA Innocence Project took on Phillips' case in 2015 after a visit from Phillips' sister. The defense team sent the evidence out for testing, and in 2017, a California lab reported that it had located male 'touch DNA' — evidence left by skin cells — on the victim's clothing. The lab ruled out Phillips as the source in three of four samples found, but couldn't definitively exclude him from the fourth. Shortly afterward, one of Phillips' Innocence Project attorneys visited the victim at her home in Georgia and obtained an affidavit from her saying she may have identified the wrong man. The defense team asked a three-member state Court of Appeals panel to declare Phillips innocent, but the request was denied. The Supreme Court of Virginia refused to hear the case because it only considers DNA results obtained from Virginia state labs. The only option after that was to get a pardon from the governor. Terry McAuliffe was governor when the petition was first submitted, and was followed by Gov. Ralph Northam, both Democrats. Neither acted on it. Since governors tend to issue the majority of their pardons at the end of their term, Phillips is praying that Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin will act on it before he leaves office in January. State records show Youngkin has issued around 160 pardons during his 3½ years in office, far fewer than the 1,200 Northam issued. Most all were simple pardons, which is an official statement of forgiveness but doesn't remove the conviction or convictions from the person's record. Only two of Youngkin's pardons have been absolute pardons, and both were for misdemeanor crimes. Peter Finocchio, Youngkin's press secretary, said in an email to The Pilot that his office can't comment on pending pardon decisions. ___ Phillips received his ministry license while in prison and led Bible studies for other inmates. He earned a doctorate in theology from Tabernacle Bible College after he got out, and started a car detailing and small trucking business that later closed. His doctorate thesis largely centered on his life story, and his efforts to stay positive throughout his incarceration and help others through his ministry. Phillips and his fiancee, Nichelle, got married in May 2021. The two met in December 1990, while he was out on parole. Nichelle supported him throughout his incarceration, writing letters and visiting often. The couple now lives in the Kempsville home where Phillips was raised. 'He's the strongest man I've ever known,' Nichelle said. 'Hardworking, loving. I just have so much respect for him. He's been through so much and I want him to have everything that he deserves — sooner rather than later.' These days, Phillips is mostly focused on his ministry. He tapes his spiritual messages every Saturday at a small church in Norfolk. Nichelle records them using a cellphone and ring light. The half-hour videos are then streamed on the Goodvue Network, a free, faith-based streaming platform that can be found on Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV and others. Pastor Duke White, one of the founders of Goodvue Network, is among Phillips' biggest supporters. The network reaches more than a million viewers, White said, and Phillips' videotaped messages have been popular. 'His program has been in the top 10 five or six times in the past year,' the pastor said. 'He's been a profound teacher and a profound leader and it's only going to grow.' White also has had Darnell as a guest on some of his programs. 'His story is so inspiring and profound,' White said. 'He's been betrayed by so many and yet his level of forgiveness is extraordinary.' Phillips said that while he's extremely grateful for the efforts of his family and lawyers in securing his release — and the bravery of the young victim who came forward several years ago to say that she believed she'd identified the wrong man — his journey won't be complete until he's officially declared innocent. 'It (an absolute pardon) would mean true freedom for me,' he said. 'It would just give total restoration and healing in my life. It would make me whole.' Jane Harper,
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
Green card husband of Hannah Kobayashi, who faked her disappearance, rips her in scathing first interview
The green card husband of the presumed-missing Hawaiian photographer whose bizarre case captivated the country last year spoke out for the first time Friday — slamming her as a 'terrible person.' Alan Cacace, a citizen of Argentina, revealed details of an immigration scam that may have prompted Hannah Kobayashi's mysterious disappearance and return in December, according to the Daily Mail. 'That girl is sick,' Cacace told the outlet — explaining that she offered him $15,000 to keep the scheme a secret, then failed to pay up. Advertisement 4 Hannah Kobayashi triggered a nation-wide manhunt last year before popping up safely in Mexico. Facebook 'I thought that after everything that had happened, she was going to do things correctly, but she lied to me once again,' he said. 'She's a terrible person.' Kobayashi, 31, triggered a nationwide search in November after she suddenly vanished while she was supposed to be boarding a flight to New York — only to be found safely traveling alone in Mexico weeks later. Advertisement 4 Alan Cacace said he paid Kobayashi thousands of dollars for a green card wedding. Facebook/Alan Tomas Cacace Kobayashi had been flying with Cacace and her possibly 'jealous' ex-boyfriend, Amun Muniz-Miranda, along with the ex's alleged own green card wife, when she inexplicably left Los Angeles International Airport and went missing, sources have said. In December, the FBI began looking into the case as a potential green card visa scam gone wrong after the dynamics of the group reportedly soured. Cacace said he paid Kobayashi $15,000 for a fake marriage in Maui that was meant to get him the green card, according to the Daily Mail. Advertisement She later offered to refund him the cash in exchange for him agreeing not to talk — then ghosted him, Cacace told the outlet. 'In exchange for my silence she promised after everything she did to return my money,' Cacace said. 'But I see that it was just another of her lies.' 4 Kobayashi sparked a nationwide search after she went missing in November. AP In November, the foursome of fake newlyweds left for New York in order to convince immigration officials their marriage was genuine but things got tense, allegedly triggering her disappearance, the Daily Mail reported. Advertisement While Kobayashi was missing, her father, Ryan Kobayashi, 58, died by suicide after trying to find her — a tragedy she addressed in a social media post last month. 4 Hannah Kobayashi addressed her father's suicide in a social media post. Facebook '[Life is] such a precious gift.. especially after such loss and pain and suffering,' she said. 'We should all learn to be kind to one another and cherish every single moment that we can because we are all connected.' In another video, Kobayashi said she was 'grateful' for people who devoted 'time and energy' into searching for her last year. Kobayashi said in December that she was traveling alone in Mexico with no clue a massive search was underway for her in the US.
New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
Florida restaurant sued diner who left bad Yelp review about ‘subpar meat quality' and ‘so so' ribs
A Tampa restaurant unsuccessfully sued a diner who left a negative review online that ripped the eatery over its 'subpar' meat quality, 'dry' spare ribs and lukewarm coffee. Irene Eng, a blogger and frequent poster on Yelp, Google and TripAdvisor, was hit with a defamation lawsuit seeking at least $50,000 last fall after she left a one-star review of her dining experience at Hales Blackbrick in December 2023. The restaurant, described in the filing as an 'innovative, inspired, seasonal Chinese restaurant' operated by award-winning chef Richard Hales, alleges that Eng's review contained false statements about her dining experience and even included a photo of his wife, Jenny Hales, who is not a public figure, according to the lawsuit filed in Florida state court. 6 Irene Eng is a blogger and frequent poster on Yelp, Google and TripAdvisor. Yelp/Irene E. Eng's Dec. 11, 2023, review of Hales Blackbrick wasn't a full-on takedown, but it wasn't glowing either, according to the Tampa Bay Times. She praised the food as 'well presented' but found it 'a bit too sweet,' and critiqued one server's wine etiquette as 'odd.' Some dishes fared better than others in her write-up. The eggplant and mushrooms were 'wonderful,' and the tiger shrimp were 'tasty and succulent.' But the spare ribs were 'so so,' and the Hawaiian prime ribs, she wrote, were 'the worst: way too much fat.' While she didn't try the Yangzhou fried rice herself, Eng noted her friends thought it was 'greasy.' She was especially critical of the coffee, calling it lukewarm — 'a Cardinal sin!!' 6 Irene Eng was hit with a defamation lawsuit after she left a one-star review of the Hales Blackbrick restaurant in Tampa. Google Maps In a comparison to other establishments, she wrote: 'The better Cantonese restaurants serve their spare ribs tender and moist. Theirs is neither: looking unappetizing, dry and could use more cooking time.' Eng, who is of Chinese descent, also made observations beyond the food. She included a photo of Chef Richard Hales' 'impressive mobile home parked in the lot' and questioned the restaurant's description of a dish with Sichuan origins. Eng is a 'Yelp Elite' reviewer — a designation awarded to users recognized for their consistent, high-quality contributions and active engagement within the Yelp community. She has authored over 660 reviews spanning various establishments, including restaurants, beaches, libraries and urgent care facilities. After asking Eng to remove the photo of Hales' wife, the restaurant said she instead doubled down — reposting the negative review again in January 2024, and once more in October, without returning to the restaurant. 6 Eng praised the food as 'well presented' but found it 'a bit too sweet,' and critiqued one server's wine etiquette as 'odd.' Yelp/Irene E. 6 According to Eng, the eggplant and mushrooms were 'wonderful' but the spare ribs were 'so so,' and the Hawaiian prime ribs were 'the worst: way too much fat.' Yelp/Irene E. Hales swiftly reacted, publicly calling Eng's review 'abusive,' 'arrogant' and 'disrespectful.' He then issued a cease-and-desist letter demanding she remove the review, alleging defamation. The reposted review on Yelp triggered a consumer warning label on the platform reading, 'Consumer Alert: Questionable Legal Threats,' which appears when Yelp detects potential legal disputes related to a review. The lawsuit alleged that this tag has further harmed the restaurant's ability to attract new customers. According to the complaint, the review and its republication hurt Hales Blackbrick in several ways: driving down its average rating, discouraging potential diners and damaging its search engine optimization (SEO) rankings, which in turn made the review more prominent in Google results. The lawsuit alleges that these factors have caused the loss of 'significant revenue, goodwill, confidence, trust, and standing,' and that its ability to maintain business relationships has been put at risk. 6 Eng posted on TripAdvisor that she was accused by the restaurant of leaving an 'abusive review.' Yelp In February, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Christine A. Marlewski dismissed the case, ruling Hales failed to substantiate his claims. Marlewski determined Eng's reviews were directed toward the public and not intentionally targeting specific business relationships. Eng celebrated the dismissal on her personal blog, labeling the lawsuit 'frivolous' and expressing determination to defend free speech. Meanwhile, Hales, who subsequently closed the Dale Mabry location to focus on a new Hyde Park venture, conceded that Eng had the right to her opinion. 'I'm 1,000% for freedom of speech — you can say whatever you want,' Hales told the Tampa Bay Times. He acknowledged the challenges chefs face in navigating criticism without appearing overly sensitive. 'We're not thin-skinned, we're just humans,' he added. 6 The restaurant claimed that Eng's review hurt its business. Yelp/Irene E. The Post has sought comment from Hales, Eng, Yelp, TripAdvisor and Google. Leaving negative reviews against small businesses have led to legal disputes in the past. In June 2021, a Washington State-based company, Executive Roof Services, unsuccessfully sued a couple for $112,000 over 1-star Google reviews, alleging defamation and interference with business expectancy. That same year, a luxury auto dealership in Texas filed a defamation lawsuit against a woman who criticized the dealership on Yelp, but the case was dismissed. In 2020, a Florida-based property management firm filed a $1 million defamation lawsuit against a man over a critical online review, though no significant judgment was publicly reported. In 2016, a dental practice based in Georgia sued a patient for defamation after she left negative reviews on Yelp and Google regarding billing practices. The case was eventually dropped. In 2013, a Utah couple filed suit against after the retailer fined them $3,500 for a negative review — leading to a default judgment awarding them $306,750 in damages.
