A US Man Imprisoned 50 Years Ago as a 'Sex Offender'... Declared Innocent on His Birthday

Alibi Present but Guilty... Racial Bias Involved
Longest Case in US History Overturned by DNA Evidence

A man in his 70s who was wrongfully imprisoned for over 50 years on charges of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in the United States has finally been acquitted on the 5th (local time) with the help of a human rights organization. The day he was acquitted was Leonard Mac's 72nd birthday.

According to CNN and others on the 6th (local time), Leonard Mac (72) was convicted of sexually assaulting a high school girl in 1975 and served more than seven years in a New York prison.

Leonard Mack (72), who was convicted of rape, was acquitted after nearly 50 years.
[Photo by Innocence Project]

Even after being released from prison, he lived nearly 50 years in shame as a rapist, continuously claiming his innocence and filing multiple appeals.

Last year, he asserted his innocence with the human rights organization 'Innocence Project,' prompting the prosecution to reopen the investigation. During this process, a new DNA test, which did not exist at the time, was conducted, revealing that the real perpetrator of the case for which Mac was convicted was someone else.

The incident occurred on May 22, 1975. At that time, in a village in Westchester County, two high school girls were confronted by an armed assailant and dragged into the woods, where they were sexually assaulted.

The man sexually assaulted one of the girls twice before leaving the scene. One of the victims ran to a nearby school and told a teacher, who then reported it to the police.

Leonard Mac was identified as the suspect just hours after the incident because his appearance matched that of the suspect who was said to be wearing earrings and a hat.

Mac presented an alibi during the trial but was ultimately found guilty. It was later revealed that racial bias had influenced the investigation and trial process.

The true perpetrator was later identified as a man who had been convicted of rape in 1975 and a sex crime in 2004. The prosecution obtained a confession from this man, but prosecution was impossible due to the statute of limitations. He is currently in custody, charged with failing to register as a sex offender related to the 2004 crime.

The Westchester County Court in New York announced on the 5th (local time), "The conviction is overturned, the indictment is dismissed, and a not guilty verdict is declared on the rape charges."

Leonard Mack (72), who was convicted of rape, was acquitted after about 50 years. The photo shows the judge and Mack embracing.
[Photo by Innocence Project]

The judge who presided over the hearing told Mac, "Today is your day. You have waited too long." According to photos released by the organization, the judge left the bench and personally hugged Mac. The local prosecutor who attended the event also expressed an apology.

Prosecutor Miriam Roca said, "On behalf of the Westchester District Attorney's Office, I apologize for the immeasurable damage and collateral consequences this has caused in his life." Roca emphasized, "While it is important to correct problems, preventing them should be the priority."

In a statement, Mac said, "It took a long time to get here," adding, "I lost seven and a half years of my life in prison for a crime I did not commit and lived nearly 50 years with injustice." He continued, "Now the truth has been revealed, and I can finally breathe. I am finally free."

This case is known as the oldest overturned verdict in U.S. history based on DNA evidence.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.