Man Exonerated After 16 Years in Prison for Brooklyn Pool Hall Murder

A man who spent 16 years in prison for a murder he did not commit is set to be exonerated. Brian Kendall, now 55 years old, was wrongfully convicted in connection with the fatal shooting of Raphael Reyes at a Brooklyn pool hall on February 24, 1988. At the time of the incident, Kendall, then just 17, was in the wrong place at an unfortunate time, spending time with his younger brother and friends in Flatbush.

Following the shooting, in which Reyes was killed, Kendall and his companions pursued the gunman and flagged down a police car for help. Despite their efforts, the perpetrator managed to escape. Fortunately, call logs from emergency transmissions and testimonies from witnesses corroborated Kendall’s account, describing the shooter as a short, middle-aged man in an overcoat. Furthermore, witnesses indicated that Reyes had been attempting to evict a man dealing drugs from the premises shortly before the incident occurred.

However, the investigation took a misguided turn with the introduction of a troubled individual at an NYPD stationhouse. This witness erroneously alleged that two teenagers, whom he could not name, were involved in the argument leading to Reyes’ death. Subsequently, a 13-year-old boy from a group home claimed he had witnessed the shooting and provided an inaccurate name—”Brian”—as the assailant, leading to an identification of Kendall.

Despite the defense presenting several witnesses who could attest to Kendall’s whereabouts at the time of the crime, the defense attorney lacked access to crucial details of the prosecution’s case. Additionally, under the immense pressure of a possibly devastating trial outcome, Kendall made the difficult decision to plead guilty to manslaughter. He received a sentence of 8.5 to 25 years but was incarcerated for 16 years before being deported to Guyana.

District Attorney Eric Gonzalez stated that the legal system had failed Kendall, who was pressured into admitting guilt without a comprehensive understanding of the evidence against him. The investigation led by the Conviction Review Unit substantiated Kendall’s long-held claims of innocence. The exoneration represents the 41st instance uncovered by this unit.

Kendall’s experience underscores systemic failures that disproportionately affect young people of color, often pushing them towards guilty pleas despite their innocence. Kendall, currently residing in Guyana, is anticipated to attend the court proceedings remotely as the D.A.’s office and the Legal Aid Society prepare to formally vacate his wrongful conviction. His story serves as a poignant reminder of the necessity for reform within the criminal justice system.