Comments on: Mario’s Story: Freedom Long-Delayed Finally Arrives – UPDATED

By: ru4tats

ru4tats — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:18:27 +0000

At 16 years of age I was sentenced to 30 years in prison. My one comfort I had in there if you want to call it a comfort is that I did commit my crime.I knew I wasn’t innocent.I myself did 16 years straight.I only met 3 men in there that proclaimed there innocence. Mario’s character is truly above any normal human beings because he maintained his dignity inspite of the injustices he suffered from the courts as well as the two brutal stabbings he endured.He maintained it with genuine humility and the love of his family and the love of the LORD in his heart. God does create miracles and Mario is a miracle himself.

By: Vic

Vic — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:04:58 +0000

this is my first time reading about this story on this site, and all I can say is that I hope he was innocent.
Was he not guilty? Yes, the evidence as stated doesn’t substantiate a guilty finding. But innocent? OJ was found not guilty, was he innocent?
The point is, the evidence he did it was an eye witness. The evidence he didn’t was an eyewitness.
I just hope he’s innocent and not just not guilty.

By: highland park

highland park — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:53:29 +0000

yoooo wat up mario well i stay at high land park i foolow ur story i even say it on tv yah i might be 18 but wow that really has tuched me well hope u doin gud pa n u are a true hero in many ways u stud up for ur right n todo so ur my hero

By: Velia Koppenhoefer

Velia Koppenhoefer — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:20:03 +0000

Mario’s freedom is long overdue and well-deserved. There are far too many cases of injustice taking place across America with impunity. It is unconscionable that we incarcerate young Latino men at such young ages and condemn them to die in prison for crimes they did not commit.

This case was in many ways like that of my son, EfrÃ©n Paredes, Jr., who has served nearly 20 years in prison for a crime he also did not commit. He was 15-years-old at the time and is now age 35.

Mario’s wrongful conviction occurred in California. EfrÃ©n’s wrongful conviction occurred in Michigan. Though miles apart the conduct of police and prosecutors was unlawful in both cases as if one and the same.

Bring attention to these cases and raise awareness about them so we can prevent future recurrences. Children and families should not be made to suffer for decades because of aggressive police and prosecutors thirsting for convictions at any cost.

To learn more about EfrÃ©n’s case and how you can contribute to our campaign to free him, please visit http://Free-Efren.blogspot.com and http://www.4Efren.com.

Velia Koppenhoefer
Mother of EfrÃ©n Paredes, Jr.

By: ABCâ€™s person of the week

ABCâ€™s person of the week — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:06:10 +0000

Markets surged upward
today, buoyed by optimism
after Sarah Palin was
spotted entering a
Neiman Marcus….

By: ABCâ€™s person of the week

ABCâ€™s person of the week — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:01:56 +0000

Markets surged upward
today, bouyed by optimism

By: ABCâ€™s person of the week

ABCâ€™s person of the week — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:57:56 +0000

“There was a young fellow named Cager,
Who, as a result of a Wager-
Consented to fart
The entire oboe part
Of Mozart’s Quintet in F Major.”

Hola Woody!

By: cindylu

cindylu — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:33:23 +0000

I read about Mario a few years ago in the now defunct Tu Ciudad magazine. I’m glad Mario can now fully move on.

By: Celeste Fremon

Celeste Fremon — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:46:28 +0000

Woody, there were two other people convicted of the murder. Both had, according to witnesses, flashed weapons at the party. But I’ve not examined the thousands of pages of paperwork so I’m only repeating what I have been told by others, Sister Janet included, who have examined his case very thoroughly. The victim’s family feels that all three should be locked up, and is not happy with Mario’s release.

One thing I can say for sure, though, from my own experience, is that Mario is a talented, kind, big-hearted, intelligent young man who is determined, not just to lead a legal life, but to be someone who genuinely contributes to this world. In the 2 years he’s been out, he’s walked that talk very rigorously, helping out at a charter elementary school, working in behalf of others who were not, legally, as fortunate has he…..and so on—addition to paying his bills, becoming an everyday taxpayer, and working to become a good writer.

Other than his….um….liberal leanings, I think you’d like him a lot.

By: Woody

Woody — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:22:59 +0000

I would feel better about reversals of jury verdicts if the appeals process weren’t strung out so long so as to make testimony and evidence more stale and less reliable. But, if he really is innocent, I’m glad that he’s out.

Now, who did commit the murder and where is justice for that kid’s family? How do they feel about this?

BTW, I am never impressed when someone wins ABC’s “person of the week.” It’s always some liberal and not someone like a businessman who gave people jobs.