This is a wonderful turn in a tragic tale. This guy was falsely imprinsoned because of shoddy work by the justice system and even worse because his face had been jacked up by a gun blast. This probably helped jurors seal his fate. Now that he has been freed, a plastic surgeon has volunteered to fix his face link Recently released from prison after being wrongfully convicted, Ricardo Rachell took a rare trip into the streets on Tuesday. He visited the barber for his first haircut as a free man, and of much more importance when it comes to getting on with life, he met for the first time with a renowned surgeon who volunteered his skills to reconstruct Rachell's severely damaged face, which had him branded as "scary man" in his old neighborhood. Thanks to DNA evidence that inexplicably went untested for years, Rachell was freed earlier this month after serving six years of a 40-year sentence in the sexual assault of an 8-year-old boy. Coming to grips with freedom, Rachell, 51, said he isn't interested so much in any financial compensation for the errors that kept him behind bars, but in being able to again walk down the street without people staring. "I just want this fixed," he said as he stroked his face, which was radically damaged in 1992 by a shotgun blast unrelated to his conviction. "That is all I want, that is all I really want." Although the wound is not directly related to his case, it has contributed to him being somewhat ostracized and seems to have been a factor in him being feared, singled out and wrongfully accused of molesting an 8-year-old boy. Dr. Joseph Agris, who is known for his plastic and reconstructive surgery practice, as well as his philanthropy, took up Rachell's cause at the request of U.S. Rep. Al Green, whose district includes the south Houston neighborhood where Rachell now lives with his stepfather. "The guy needs help, that is what we do," Agris said during a phone conversation with Green. "We will take care of this gentleman and there will be no charge." As he examined Rachell, Agris determined that he would need as many as three surgeries over the next year to 18 months and that a team of at least three doctors would be needed. "I can tell you from my experience, it won't be a one-time operation," Agris said as he clutched Rachell's hand with his own. "Don't look at trying to pay anything; we are going to get through this." Agris said he would meet with Methodist Hospital officials on Rachell's behalf. Costs not covered by Methodist would be picked up by the Agris-Zindler Foundation, which Agris established with KTRK-Channel 13 reporter Marvin Zindler, who died in 2007. Green, a Democrat, said that when he heard about Rachell's case and that he'd previously been shot in the face, he knew Agris would be the man for the job. "He is a humanitarian on a global scale," Green said of Agris, who has traveled to 32 countries, most recently Pakistan, to do volunteer work to help children and adults with traumatic injuries. "You can't give this man back the six years of his life he lost in prison," Green said. "It won't give him the life he lost, but it can give him a better quality of life." Often wearing dark sunglasses in an effort to stop people from staring, Rachell said that all he wants is a chance for a semi-normal life. He feels that even dogs notice his wounds when he walks down the street. "My whole life depends on this, it will help me live again," he said. To try and help turn things around, New Bethlehem Baptist Church, where Rachell's cousin Anthony Simmons is a member, is preparing a fund- raiser. "It is for you, if you want to build a house or be by yourself, it is for you," Simmons told his cousin of the effort. "My face, my face, it is for my face," Rachell fired back. A few minutes later, as he sat in a chair at South Acres Barber Beauty Salon prior to meeting with the doctor, Rachell was motionless as a barber shaved his hair down to a tight cut. It was the first time Rachell had a haircut in more than six years that wasn't done by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He climbed out of the chair and handed the barber some cash. "I appreciate it man," said barber Richard Miles. "Welcome home."
Bump, for attempt at positivity. And on the same page as the article, just because...how even MORE positive
It must be indescribable to be a victim of disfigurement and then to have the world turn on you because of it. For such wrongs on this level, it seems like the only option in this matter is for the victim to forgive.
I think he will forgive a whole lot faster if he was rewarded 500K for every year he was in prison unjustly.
I'm glad this thread was posted--it gives me the chance to talk about another wrongly convicted local. I'm talking about the injustice of South Park Mexican (SPM) being in jail. SPM, better known as Carlos Coy, has been in jail since 2002 for similar trumped up charges. He is serving a 45 year jail sentence. One day a story like this will be written about Houston's native son.
I wouldn't trade 6 years in prison and the public humiliation attached to it for 6 million. I rather sue them to reform the system, but we know that aint happening any time soon.
We hear about these types of cases every several months or so. I'd really love to see interviews with the prosecutors and maybe even the jurors to get their perspective on it - about wrongfully convicting someone, if they had any doubts along the line, if it's affected them, etc. It seems like it would be a hard thing, especially for a juror, to learn that they had wrongly convicted someone.
wow, this brings back some terrifying memories. it's a dreadfully long and painful story for me to tell, but I was accused of a crime I didn't commit back in 1997, along with 4 of my friends. long story short, we were all acquitted and served no time. I had heard that the detective in my case was demoted for doing such a poor job in trying to build a case against us, with literally no evidence at all. It's a horrible feeling though, I was so scared out of my mind that somehow, the jurors would find a way to convict us, and I was also very afraid that my family had suspicions that we actually commited the crimes we were charged with. I still can't believe that this kinda stuff happens. I once heard a great quote, I can't remember who though....'I would rather see 1000 guilty men get away with their crimes, than for one innocent man to be wrongfully convicted'
wow. really? it's been proven that he impregnated a 13 year old girl who he would pick up at her middle school. given that, i don't think it's a stretch to take a 9 year old girl at her word (not to mention the other girls that came forward), but if you have more information about that case, i'm open to it. or were u being sarcastic and i missed it?
