Two childhood friends' murder convictions overturned in 1987 Times Square killing of French tourist
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: A Manhattan judge on Thursday, February 1 vacated the murder convictions of two childhood friends accused of killing a French tourist on New Year's Day in 1987, as per ABC 7 Chicago.
Now aged 56, Eric Smokes, and 53, David Warren, have been convicted of the murder of Jean Casse, a French tourist who was attacked and killed on the early morning of New Year’s Day 1987 near Times Square, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, as reported by People.
Eric Smokes and David Warren are best friends
Eric Smokes who was 19 at the time of the attack and David Warren who was 16 have been best friends since childhood.
The duo maintained that while they were in Manhattan that night to watch the ball drop, they never went above 48th Street, The New York Times reported, citing court documents. Casse was killed on 52nd Street.
According to NBC New York, despite maintaining their innocence, both Smokes and Warren were convicted based on witness accounts placing them at the scene.
The duo was subsequently sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. However, Warren was granted parole in 2007, while Smokes was released in 2011.
The adolescent witnesses who first testified against the couple have since claimed that they were coerced into lying by authorities and that they were handled like suspects.
Furthermore, the DA's office emphasized that neither of the wrongfully convicted men, Smokes nor Warren, had alibis confirmed by acquaintances on the night of the murder.
Additionally, the description of the perpetrator did not match either of them.
'Today's decision can finally bring them a measure of comfort'
As per court documents, a request to overturn the convictions was denied in 2020. Nevertheless, a year later, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, led by the newly appointed DA Alvin Bragg, initiated the reopening of the case as part of the recently established Post-Conviction Justice Unit.
Identifying numerous flaws in the investigation, Bragg recommended the reversal of convictions for both individuals.
According to court records, on Wednesday, January 31, State Supreme Court Judge Stephen Antignani vacated the convictions, officially clearing the names of both Smokes and Warren.
“Eric Smokes and David Warren lost decades of their life to an unjust conviction,” Bragg said in a statement.
He added, “I am inspired by the unyielding advocacy of Mr. Smokes and Mr. Warren and hope that today’s decision can finally bring them a measure of comfort and justice."
"I thank our Post-Conviction Justice Unit for its thorough reinvestigation, and to the Court for its careful consideration of this matter. It is never too late to reconsider the integrity of old convictions, because everyone in New York deserves equal justice under the law,” he concluded.
