LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A man and woman who spent more than 17 years in prison for a 2007 East Hollywood murder have had their convictions vacated and been ordered to be immediately released, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Monday.
Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan vacated the convictions and ordered the release of Charlotte Pleytez and Lombardo Palacios, with Hochman saying in a statement, "Our justice system must be both fair and accurate, and this case highlights the critical importance of never resting until justice is done, reviewing even past cases with the utmost care to ensure that the right and just result is reached."
Hochman added that, "I want to extend my deepest apologies to Ms. Pleytez and Mr. Palacios for the years of hardship they endured due to these wrongful convictions."
Monday's announcement concluded a process that began under Hochman's predecessor as D.A., George Gascón.
Gascón, in an October announcement, cited what he called "coercive investigations" by law enforcement of Palacios, who was then 15 and insisted for nearly two hours that he was innocent before being lied to and falsely told there was a video showing that he was the killer.
In addition, Gascón said, Palacios did not accurately describe what happened or what type of weapon was used because "he was never actually there." But Gascón said the jury that heard the case never saw the videos.
Gascón noted that Pleytez steadfastly maintained her innocence while being interrogated by police.
At that time, Ryan did not immediately rule on the prosecution's request for exoneration, instead ordering attorneys to return to the downtown L.A. courtroom Nov. 1 after the prosecutor who handled the trial said he wanted to provide more information to the judge.
Tom Trainor, the head of the District Attorney's Conviction Integrity Unit, said during the brief October hearing that he felt "very confident" in the most recent analysis by the D.A.'s Office of the case.
But he noted that the trial prosecutor -- Deputy District Attorney Dayan Mathai -- had "raised some concerns" and that he "should be given the opportunity to be heard."
Pleytez's attorney, Matthew Lombard, objected to what he called Mathai's "last-minute approach," and said there was "more than enough" to grant the petition to vacate the convictions of Pleytez, now 37, and Palacios, now 32.
The convictions stemmed from a March 28, 2007 incident in which Hector Luis Flores was shot about 10:20 p.m., following a verbal altercation in a shopping-center parking lot in the 5200 block of Sunset Boulevard He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
According to Monday's announcement by Hochman, during the investigation, eyewitness identifications and other "circumstantial evidence" led to the arrests of Pleytez and Palacios.
A jury convicted the pair on Oct. 6, 2009 of first-degree murder, and each was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison -- convictions and sentences that were later affirmed on appeal.
Hochman's office said that, some 13 years after the convictions, the D.A.' s office was invited to work with lead attorney Ellen Eggers; Pleytez's attorney, Lombard; Palacios' attorney, Nicolas Tomas; and the California Innocence Advocates "to secure justice for both individuals."
Tomas -- Pleytez and Palacios' then-sole attorney -- submitted the initial request to the office's Conviction Review Unit (CRU) in November 2022.
"We are reluctant to say justice has been done, because the injustices our clients have suffered for nearly two decades are unfathomable, but this is definitely a cause for celebration," Lombard said in a statement released by Hochman's office.
Said Tomas: "Charlotte, Lombardo, their families, and the entire legal team are profoundly thankful to the Conviction Review Unit for having provided a platform to present this case and for working collaboratively to uncover the truths which ultimately set our clients free."
Meanwhile, Megan Baca of the California Innocence Advocates said the defense team was "heartened by DA Hochman's commitment to correcting wrongful convictions and his remarkable efforts to secure our clients' immediate release, enabling Charlotte and Lombardo to spend their first Christmas in 17 years home with their families, where they've always belonged."
The CRU and attorneys for Pleytez and Palacios had filed a joint petition to vacate the convictions and find Pleytez and Palacios factually innocent. Ryan vacated the convictions and granted their release on Friday. Hochman's office said Monday that the D.A. will seek a finding of factual innocence at a later date.
The D.A.' office provided a supplemental letter to the court in support of the habeas petition and release, "clarifying its position on the underlying investigation and prosecution and the reasons for the requested relief," according to Hochman's office.
"The DA's Office asserts that, following a detailed review and analysis of the investigation and prosecution of the 2009 convictions, there is no evidence to suggest that any of the investigating officers, responding officers, or prosecutors involved in the case acted inappropriately, unethically, or illegally in performing their duties in the investigation and prosecution of this case given the applicable case law and state of the evidence at that time," Hochman said. "The request for relief in this case was based entirely on new evidence uncovered by the joint CRU and defense investigation."
In his Monday statement, Hochman also said, "I also want to recognize the tragic loss of Hector Luis Flores and share my heartfelt condolences with his family. His death is a painful reminder of the heavy responsibility we bear to ensure justice not only holds the right people accountable but also honors the lives of victims and their families."