Episode
74 Minutes
42:03
Published: Mon Feb 20 2023
Description
JJ Velazquez claimed he had an alibi: a 74-minute phone call on a landline with his mother, Maria Velazquez, that overlapped with the time of the crime. So Dan visits Maria. She lives in a town in New York on the Hudson River directly across from Sing Sing, the maximum security prison where her son is incarcerated. Maria talks to Dan about JJ’s childhood. And she recounts in detail her memory of January 27th, 1998, the day of Al Ward’s murder.Meanwhile, Dan is still familiarizing himself with JJ’s case file. There are thousands of pages of documents that sit in a box by his desk. He starts to work his way through the trial transcript. Immediately, it’s clear to him that the trial was strange. As Dan unpacks what happened in the courtroom, he’s left with more questions than answers. Prosecutors say five people identified JJ as the man who killed Al Ward. Dan decides to find them.
Chapters
Maria Velasquez shares memories of her son JJ, including his love for dinosaurs and spending time with his friends.
00:00 - 01:10 (01:10)
Summary
Maria Velasquez shares memories of her son JJ, including his love for dinosaurs and spending time with his friends.
Episode74 Minutes
PodcastLetters from Sing Sing
A man recounts taking his son to interview for a law program and how he got accepted while he was paying the parking meter.
01:10 - 08:25 (07:15)
Summary
A man recounts taking his son to interview for a law program and how he got accepted while he was paying the parking meter.
Episode74 Minutes
PodcastLetters from Sing Sing
JJ Redick's friends and teammates discuss the importance of family and racial equality during this emotional episode.
08:25 - 13:43 (05:18)
Summary
JJ Redick's friends and teammates discuss the importance of family and racial equality during this emotional episode.
Episode74 Minutes
PodcastLetters from Sing Sing
A man reflects on the strange facts and trial that led to the conviction of J.J, including a witness identifying J.J as a light-skinned Puerto Rican man and the importance of a phone record.
13:44 - 19:20 (05:35)
Summary
A man reflects on the strange facts and trial that led to the conviction of J.J, including a witness identifying J.J as a light-skinned Puerto Rican man and the importance of a phone record.
Episode74 Minutes
PodcastLetters from Sing Sing
Eyewitness misidentification is a leading cause of wrongful convictions in criminal cases.
19:20 - 22:40 (03:20)
Summary
Eyewitness misidentification is a leading cause of wrongful convictions in criminal cases. This can occur due to biased lineups, cross-racial identification issues, and other factors leading to false identifications made by eyewitnesses.
Episode74 Minutes
PodcastLetters from Sing Sing
A mother narrates how she told the truth in court but was accused of doing anything to save her son from getting into jail, leaving her in a difficult situation.
22:40 - 29:58 (07:18)
Summary
A mother narrates how she told the truth in court but was accused of doing anything to save her son from getting into jail, leaving her in a difficult situation.
Episode74 Minutes
PodcastLetters from Sing Sing
The speaker talks about a casual meetup with a friend, hearing a car pull up, and recognizing police officers by the badge around their neck.
29:58 - 33:36 (03:38)
Summary
The speaker talks about a casual meetup with a friend, hearing a car pull up, and recognizing police officers by the badge around their neck.
Episode74 Minutes
PodcastLetters from Sing Sing
The speaker shares advice he received from a former inmate to stay in school and out of trouble to avoid ending up in the same position as him due to the flaws of the justice system.
33:36 - 36:12 (02:36)
Summary
The speaker shares advice he received from a former inmate to stay in school and out of trouble to avoid ending up in the same position as him due to the flaws of the justice system.
Episode74 Minutes
PodcastLetters from Sing Sing
The speaker discusses the struggles of prison life including missing family, struggling to write, and falling into bad habits like sleeping too much.
36:12 - 39:54 (03:42)
Summary
The speaker discusses the struggles of prison life including missing family, struggling to write, and falling into bad habits like sleeping too much.
Episode74 Minutes
PodcastLetters from Sing Sing
This podcast emphasizes the importance of keeping legal paperwork, particularly in cases of crime.
39:54 - 41:49 (01:55)
Summary
This podcast emphasizes the importance of keeping legal paperwork, particularly in cases of crime. It encourages writing the courts and asking lawyers for paperwork for situations where someone may need to remember important details.