Innocent woman who spent 7 years in prison to sue New York City
A Bronx woman who was convicted of a 2005 home-invasion shooting is suing New York City.
Malisha Blyden served 7 years in Rikers Island with a 40-year prison term stamped on her life for a crime she didn’t commit.
“It took me a while to realize they just convicted me on an attempted murder charge that I had nothing to do with,” Blyden said. In her darkest hour, a fellow inmate provided Blyden’s first flash of hope in what became a frustrating — and finally successful — fight for freedom. The prisoner knew Blyden was innocent because her Harlem neighbors were the ones responsible for the robbery.
Read more at New York Daily News
The inmate testified for Blyden’s freedom in 2008, saying she was there when the offenders returned to the building after the robbery. The information failed to sway the judge.
Future breaks in the case led to Blyden’s exoneration. She was freed in January and her case was formally dismissed on March 11.
Blyden’s attorney’s filed a notice of claim against the city Monday, charging false arrest, wrongful conviction, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and other civil charges.
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