NEW YORK — After serving nearly 24 years in prison before being granted clemency and starring in last year’s movie Sing Sing, Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez has officially been exonerated of a murder prosecutors now say he didn’t commit.

A Manhattan judge on Monday vacated the 48-year-old’s wrongful conviction in the killing of retired New York City police officer Albert Ward during a robbery in 1998, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office announced. The order came after Bragg’s office joined in Velazquez’s request to vacate the conviction.

"This isn't a celebration. This is an indictment of the system," said Jon-Adrian Velazquez outside the courthouse.{ai:summary}<p>Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez has been exonerated after nearly 24 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. A Manhattan judge vacated his wrongful conviction for the 1998 killing of retired police officer Albert Ward, following a request from the District Attorney's office.</p><p>The decision aligns with the acknowledgment of prosecutorial errors in Velazquez's case. He had previously received clemency and appeared in the film "Sing Sing." #crime</p>

Sing Sing actor exonerated of murder after nearly 24 years in prison

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