In 1999, Jon-Adrian "JJ" Velazquez was sentenced for the murder of a retired police officer. Despite consistently maintaining his innocence, he was sent to Sing Sing prison in New York. He served over 23 years there, relentlessly fighting for justice. It was only on a recent Monday that he was finally cleared of all charges. Last year, Velazquez appeared in the film Sing Sing.
The Actor Exonerated After Serving 23 Years in Prison
In Sing Sing, directed by Greg Kwedar, "JJ" Velazquez played himself. The film tells the story of another wrongfully convicted inmate, portrayed by Colman Domingo (The Color Purple, Euphoria, Lincoln), a man named Divine G. Innocent but imprisoned, he continues to fight for his freedom while finding meaning in his life through an artistic prison group.
The co-stars from Sing Sing were well aware of JJ Velazquez’s legal situation - Clarence Maclin (who plays a fellow inmate in the film), director Greg Kwedar, and screenwriter Brent Buell stood by him in the New York courtroom. It wasn’t until this past Monday, nearly 24 years after being incarcerated and 27 years after his initial trial, that Velazquez was officially declared completely innocent. In the last ten years, his fight for freedom gained momentum as new evidence came to light in 2012. Velazquez had been sentenced to 25 years in prison, despite not matching the suspect's description and having an alibi. Over time, his innocence was further proven through DNA testing.
"There’s nothing they can give me to make up for the 24 years I lost. The air smells completely different now," Velazquez said.
After being released in 2021, through the organization Voices From Within, he aimed to share his experience of being wrongfully imprisoned for many years. While incarcerated, he found solace on the stage. Now that he is officially and fully exonerated, he hopes to pursue a professional acting career.
