A New York man has been released after spending nearly 20 years in prison for a robbery he did not commit.
Kenneth Windley, 61, was tied to a 2005 incident after purchasing a stove for his mother using a money order he was unaware had been stolen. He was later convicted of second-degree robbery and sentenced to 20 years to life behind bars.
A Brooklyn judge has now overturned that conviction after prosecutors revisited the case, ultimately determining that Windley had no involvement in the crime. “It has taken many years, but today we can confirm his account, free him, and clear his name,” said Eric Gonzalez.
Speaking outside the courthouse, Windley reflected on the ordeal, saying, “It cost me 20 years, but they say it’s been corrected now, and that’s what matters.”
The case stemmed from an April 1, 2005 robbery in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood, where two men followed a 70-year-old victim into his apartment building and robbed him in an elevator. They stole $485 in cash along with two unsigned money orders.
Investigators linked Windley to the crime after he used one of the stolen money orders to buy the stove. He was arrested after the victim identified him as one of the attackers.
At his 2007 trial, Windley maintained his innocence, explaining that he had purchased the money order from two men outside an appliance store for about $400, believing he was simply helping them. He said he did not know it was stolen and had never used a money order before.
He was convicted in March 2007 and, due to prior felony convictions, received a lengthy sentence.
Years later, Windley located the actual perpetrators, who were already imprisoned for a string of robberies targeting elderly men. They confirmed to prosecutors that Windley had no role in the Crown Heights incident. Their statements were supported by recorded prison calls and emails, leading to his exoneration.
