‘Sing Sing’ Actor JJ Velazquez Exonerated

A New York judge officially vacated the conviction of Sing Sing star JJ Velazquez, who spent over 20 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. Velazquez was convicted in 1998 for the murder of retired police detective Albert Ward, but new DNA evidence pointed to another culprit, leading to the dismissal of his indictment. Velazquez, whose prison sentence was commuted by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo back in 2021 after 23 years, received support from various celebrities and an apology from President Biden. Less than a year after his release, Velazquez co-starred with Colman Domingo in the film Sing Sing, based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through The Arts program.