WEBVTT
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Hey guys, welcome to Third Man in the Ring.
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I'm your host, Popeye Ray.
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You know what, guys?
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You know I don't have script or nothing, but I I really didn't even know how to.
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Let me give you a scenario.
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Who and your kids, you know, mom comes in and says, Who broke that base?
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And you know what?
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You got three, four siblings, brother, sister, like, man, uh, so and so did it.
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And and so-and-so gets in trouble, but he really didn't do it.
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You know what, guys?
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Who's ever been arrested or got a ticket and know you didn't break the law and still got convicted and had to pay a fine?
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Who's ever been arrested and just said, you know what, it wasn't me, and got out a couple weeks?
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You're just like, oh, stomping your feet.
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Miguel Salodio, 25 years in the state penitentiary, wrongfully convicted.
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Today we're gonna hear his testimony, guys, and we're so glad and we thank God that he came out.
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And you know, and I I just want you to give him a warm welcome.
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Miguel Salodio, thank you for thank you for inviting me and honored to be here today.
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I'm blessed to share my testimony.
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I I met Miguel at uh 24 Hour Fitness.
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Obviously, you could tell we work out, eh?
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You know, but but hey, Miguel, let's let's start.
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But uh, you're out now, thank God, you know.
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It's got a beautiful home, guys.
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Single man on top of that, ladies.
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But with that said, Miguel, tell us a little bit about right now what you're at now.
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What are you doing right now?
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At this moment, um, I'm going to college full-time.
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Um, I'm majoring on business management.
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Um, I've been trying to be an entrepreneur, how to like run my own business and get knowledge and wisdom.
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Um, I also have a side business that is called um Royal Express Rides.
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It's a party bus, it's an executive.
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That's my side business.
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I just started it um last month in December, and that's my little side job that I'm trying to do.
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And um on my free time, I just hit the gym, go hiking, and clear my mind and everything, you know, stuff like that.
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So, Miguel, uh tell us tell the fans a little bit about where Miguel started.
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Where were you born, how were you raised, you know?
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Okay, so I was born in Mexico, and um my mom came over here, and I came at the age of four years old.
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And I was raised in West LA.
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I got three older brothers and two older sisters, and I'm the youngest one.
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Oh, okay.
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And um, we were raised in West LA, but then uh my family were like in poverty, like literally poverty, cockroaches and uh and the houses and all that.
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But um if you don't mind me asking, how old are you right now?
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Um 46 years old at this moment.
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Still a young guy, yes, yes, yes.
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Thank you, thank you.
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Amen.
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Well go ahead, brother.
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And um, I guess uh finally my parents started working and uh we moved to Whittier, and uh we were living next in a small, little, a little bigger house.
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It was like a two-bedroom living room, a little more decent than the other one, because the other ones.
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All you huh?
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All you huh?
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Yeah, I think.
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It's what six, no?
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Huh?
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That's six total, no?
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Yeah, six, six of us, yeah.
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Exactly, six of us.
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And uh so it happened to be that um I started going to school and I I wanted to like do something with my life and everything.
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You know, I I was like those cockroaches actually inspired me not to live that poverty life, like to push myself, because dude, I remember when I was like five years old, I wake up like seven, eight o'clock at or eleven o'clock at night, and I was like seven years old, and I wake up hungry, my stomach growling, and I'll go to the refrigerator half empty, and all I there was is this uh can that's called lechetta.
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You know, for that thing is fire.
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I remember I just used to uh turn on the lights of the kitchen, but I'll have to wait because all those cockroaches were just stormy, you know, and I'll be like, dude, I don't want to crush them here in the little crunchy noise, you know.
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Wake all your brothers up, you know.
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So I'll just wait for a minute to for the cockroaches to sleep and get the lechetta, put in my hand, and I was just like, dude, that'll be my my thing.
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So we were like in poverty.
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And um, but anyways, long story short is that those cockroaches motivated me to push myself because I didn't want to live that life.
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And finally, my parents, um, we end up moving to another house in winter.
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My my I was raised by my stepdad and my mom.
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And we got a bigger house.
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My my mom um in Winter, we got like a four-bedroom house, two bath uh.
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I was like, dude, okay, we're we're we're gonna by little.
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And um back in the 90s, um, Microsoft was uh was a thing, you know.
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So I love my the computers.
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I was like, dude, you know what?
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I think this is gonna be like the future computers.
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So I was like, dude, I'm gonna And that's when they were like barely growing.
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Yes, they were barely growing.
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Exactly.
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Microsoft was in style, and I was like, you know what?
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I had like low vision.
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I was like, dude, I'm gonna graduate, go to college, um, work for business management because one day I'm gonna work in an office with a suit and tie and work my corporate So you obviously had your dreams already at that young age, huh?
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Yes, yes.
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Thanks to the cockroaches and the Microsoft guy, I was like, dude, I'm gonna like dress nice and do everything I can to work my corporate life, you know, work up, be my own boss or just be up there.
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And um sure enough, um, I end up um I'm the first one in my family to actually graduate high school.
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Class of 97, you know, so after graduation, I said, you know what, I'm gonna pursue my my little vision, my my what I want to pursue, my goals.
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So I went to college and um I was going to college and I I was a full-time student.
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I was majoring in business management because I'm trying to be an entrepreneur.
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So, so Miguel, you you were focused.
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I mean, Whitney's a tough town, bro.
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Yeah.
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Let's be honest, bro.
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Yes.
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No, no gang stuff, or or you know what I mean?
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Where were you staying focused on studies or were you still doing, you know, you know what?
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Let's be honest, you still do pin the house in the street.
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So what how my how I mentioned is that I was raised by a stepdad, right?
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And my mom, but my mom neglected me, you know.
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She always paid attention to my dad.
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And uh my stepdad used to abuse me, like literally whoop me for no reason, because my name is Miguel, and my dad's name is Miguel.
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So I felt like he had some kind of-brook he had some kind of chip like against me because it was my like I had to sing dad.
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And I understand when children need discipline, okay, discipline, but I didn't do nothing.
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I was like a quiet kid, like growing up, and he used to get the leather belt and just whoop me in so bad that I was like eight to ten years old, my my butt will be so purple I couldn't even sit down, you know.
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And um, you know, that that does a lot mentally.
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Yes, you know, and I'll be like, no, why am I getting why is he doing this?
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And my mom kind of went in, like, hey, what did he do?
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Let me discipline him.
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And you know, I didn't get I didn't get that affection growing up.
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So um my brother used to hang around with the wrong crowd, right?
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And little by little they used to come look for him, and I'd be like, Oh, he's not here, but I used to talk to him as a teenager.
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Me, I like to dance, you know, and you know, I was like 14, 15, I like to drink.
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I didn't do no drugs.
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I didn't I tried marijuana, but I don't like that.
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I was in my team, but I like to drink Bordweisers and like one or two beers and dance.
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Yeah, yeah.
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You know, so this crowd I used to hang around with, they're like, hey, you want to come out?
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Come come stop by, come chill with us.
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We're gonna have like a little kickback, we're gonna throw a little party, a little.
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So I was like, you know what?
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Might as well, because uh myself, like I mentioned, I'm a Twitter.
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I was kind of like like a loner.
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I really didn't have too much friends, which I didn't mind.
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So just wasn't your thing, huh?
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Yeah, you know, new person to the area.
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So I was like, dude, you know what?
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Let me just go go check out the parties, and you know, to me, I don't see it as a crime to go as a teenager.
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When teenagers want to go go party after, you know, and that's what I did, you know, drink beer, socialize with them, and dance.
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I love dancing.
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That's one thing I've been loving.
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Like you hear music, give me like one or two cellas, and you'll see me on the dance.
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Oh yeah, that's me.
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And I was like the floor, okay.
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Yeah, you know, even I had like a regular dancing partner, I'd be like, you want to dance, and we didn't find no one?
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Like, all right, that was my dancing partner, but um little by little I just started like they were giving me the affection that my mom and my stepdad didn't give me.
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You know, I felt like they were giving me something, and and I felt like more the hang hanging around with them, the more affection that, you know, because I was neglected by my mom and my stepdad abused me.
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So And at the moment, I'm just guessing, tell me if I'm wrong, we tend to, when we're not getting it from mom or dad, we tend to go who's giving it to us.
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Exactly.
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You know, as a teenager, we want to be feel loved, you know.
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We don't want to be neglected, accepted, and at least by one of our parents.
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And I my mom didn't give me that, and I was raised by my stepdad, and I wasn't Where was dad at this time?
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My dad, uh my mom, she was living right there, but my mom, what she did is that she deprived me to see him.
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You know, so growing up, like growing up, I started like as I started getting older at 13, 14, I'll kind of meet him because he lived, didn't live too far, but my mom would be like, nah, I don't want you to his name is also Miguel, you know, but he didn't want me to uh get close to him.
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But once I got like like little by little I started like meeting him, and if you met my dad, he's one of the nicest men you could actually meet, you know.
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Is it is is dad still alive?
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No, uh fortunately sad to say, um, when this nightmare began, um he he was only 53 years old and he had an aneurysm, you know.
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So I was in the um Do you think it was partly to this this nightmare that started?
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You know, that I couldn't help it, I know that.
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Exactly, you know, it brought too much stress and everything, and then um he was a kind of like a life support.
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The only way I could communicate with my dad, like because he'll be in bed and I'll hold his hand, and I found out a way to talk to communicate with him.
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So I told him, hey, um one, squeeze my hand is yes, and squeeze my hand twice if it's no.
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So every time I spoke to him because he couldn't talk, I asked him a question, and every time he answers, he's like yes once or you know, twice, and that's the way we're communicating.
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But when this nightmare happened, excuse me, when I got arrested, um, he ended up passing away and I couldn't attend his funeral.
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And that was like one of the worst uh messed up things that somebody could actually go through when you're wrongfully convicted.
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When you're wrongfully convicted, that'd be tomorrow, bro.
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That's adding uh how do they say salt to the wound, eh?
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Yeah, and you know, my dad, like, I remember every time I I'll go with them, like when I was a teenager, like 16, 17 years old, you know.
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I'd be like, Dad, I'm still in high school, like dad, um, could you um could you give me like 50 bucks or something?
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He's like, you know what?
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I got something for you.
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He had gonna, right?
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Well, for every ghana you get, I'll give you a dollar.
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So I'm like, dude, say no more.
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I got you.
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That's right.
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So I started plucking as much as ganas, as white hair as I can, out of his head, and he's like, all right, you got 70, here's 70 bucks.
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So he's like that, and you he could have a horrible day, and he, you know.
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Oh, yes.
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And that's one thing I I could tell people about my dad, like since he's he passed away, that he was one of the generous man, he'll like go that extra mile for you.
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And you know what, Miguel?
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I only know Miguel from weeks, if anything, but just the way you're you're explaining the way your dad was, I see it in you, bro.
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Thank you.
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I got a good positive, good positive.
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Uh when I heard your first your story, there wasn't a hate or anger.
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It was more like this happened and this is the way I'm gonna deal with it.
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So amen, bro.
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But with that said, so you so you get into your teenage days, let's scoot it up to uh you know, let's scoot it up to the day this incident happened.
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Okay, so it was December 6th of 1998.
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I was only 19 years old, and it was a Sunday, so at that time I was a full-time college at Mount San Antonio College at college.
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Taking care of business, taking care of business.
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Yeah, being busy trying to like stay trying to get my AA degree.
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At the same token, I was also working at a warehouse full-time, working like 40 to 55 hours a week.
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So my schedule was booked.
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I work Monday through Saturday and school Monday through Friday, so my only days off was Sunday.
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So at that time I had a girlfriend, and we're already dating for a while.
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Let me interrupt you again, bro.
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This is what you brag about to your kids.
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This is what you brag.
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Look at this man, man.
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Taking care of business that work schedule in itself, you know what I mean?
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This is what you brag about, and then for this to happen, man.
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Ah, I'm sorry, man.
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Go ahead, bro.
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Yes, and um, it was a Sunday at the time.
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I was had a girlfriend.
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Um, I lived in Whitia and she lived in Balmood Park.
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And uh, you know, we we were dating, and it was a Sunday, so to keep the relationship like, because she was also a college student.
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I was so we had busy schedules, so not to neglect one another, um, she's like, hey babe, um, let's go go to the theaters.
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You know, it's a Sunday.
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I was like, yeah, let's do this.
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So she came to my house and her mom's station wagon.
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It was a great station wagon, you know, and she she got there and um we my mom had made some tosole, and she, my mom, you know, Mexican dishes, there's bomb.
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So um I remember um she always comes to my house and she goes, Hey, um, you guys always eat like this?
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I go, what do you mean?
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He goes, You guys always eat together as a family?
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I go, yeah, why?
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He goes, dude, I admire that a lot because my family, we don't we don't do stuff like that.
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I go, yeah, we were waiting for you.
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We're all sitting in the table waiting for her to come and eat with us, you know, because we're the type that we're not gonna leave, we're not gonna eat without you.
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We're gonna we're gonna eat together.
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You're that lady very family oriented.
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Yes, you know, it's like if I'm gonna eat, I can't like be eating and you right there, that's like being rude.
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I'll be like, I'm gonna invite you.
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So, anyways, we were eating that day and um Posoli and she's making checking um to go to Wiggerville Cinemas uh uh theater in Uptown Wiggily.
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So she makes calls and it's already kind of like 7:30.
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She goes, Hey babe, um, we're gonna go watch the movie Cycle.
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Starts at um 7.45.
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Hurry up, get dressed, so we go head out.
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Like, oh shoot.
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So I got dressed real quick.
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And um, we got in her mom's um station wagon, and it was just a couple minutes down the street from my house, and um, I ended up taking um three Budweisers, you know, to make the movie interesting.
00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:35.519
You know, it's not like nowadays where you could just buy your beer and her so me, I snuck in three beers, she um paid for the tickets.
00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:46.399
We're in there watching, we got there like around 8, 8:15, and uh we're watching the movie, but 45 minutes into this, I'm drinking my beers, and this movie's just like so boring.
00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:49.200
I'm watching it's like about a woman being paranoid.
00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:51.279
I was like, Well, where's that action?
00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:55.200
You know, even with the with the beers, they weren't doing no trust with this movie.
00:14:55.360 --> 00:14:58.799
So I told her, hey, this movie's boring, like let's let's let's leave, you know.
00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:00.320
I was like, I'm not even enjoying it.
00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:03.039
She goes, Well, since I paid um, I'm gonna get my refund.
00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:04.399
I was like, sure, let's go.
00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:13.200
So we walked out of the theater, and it was like, you know, it was December, and we talked to the manager, and she she goes, excuse me, um, like his name was John Murray, excuse me.
00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:14.639
Um, we want to get our money back.
00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:16.159
He goes, Well, two things.
00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:23.120
First of all, you guys were already watching the movie for a while, but you know, but yet we I've been having a lot of complaints about that movie.
00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:25.919
But what I could do is I could give you two free step tickets.
00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:28.639
And I at that time, I was like, What is step tickets?
00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:29.440
I don't know what that is.
00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:30.960
He goes, Well, you know what?
00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:33.360
It's to watch two movies whenever you want.
00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:35.919
So I was like, dude, that's that's a bargaining deal.
00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:39.840
So we took that offer and we're about to go cruise with her boulevard, right?
00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:44.000
But she goes, hey, uh, let's go get seconds, we'll go get some more pozole.
00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:45.600
And she's driving off passenger.
00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:46.320
I was like, you know what?
00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:47.600
Sounds like a good idea.
00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:55.039
We got to my house at around 10 o'clock, and um, we got to my house, but sad to say that there was no more pozole, you know.
00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:59.279
When we cherry thing, there was a big old oil like that, like a big old thing, and it was gone.
00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:06.559
So my mom comes out of the room and she's like, hey, um, everyone's having a gathering at your mom's house, uh, your sister's house in Pico Rivera.
00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:07.440
You guys want to go?
00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:09.360
And I told my girlfriend, hey, you want to go?
00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:11.440
She goes, Yeah, there's nothing else until let's go.
00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:12.240
It's a Sunday.
00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:15.200
So we got there from we left my house like around 10:15.
00:16:15.279 --> 00:16:17.519
It's just in Pico Rivera, next City Over.
00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:19.279
We got there like around 10:30.
00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:21.440
And um, we stood there from 10:30.
00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:24.000
I said my highs to everybody, to the family.
00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:33.600
I stood there until midnight, and I happened to be that during that time there was a murder that happened at 11 o'clock in Winter, which I had no idea what's going on.
00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:38.240
But once 12 o'clock hit, I was told my girlfriend, like, hey, it's getting kind of late.
00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:42.080
I want to kind of go home because I got a busy schedule full plate tomorrow.
00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:46.080
You know, I go to school, I I gotta wake up super early to get my day started.
00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:48.559
So I said my, she's like, all right, I'll drop you off.
00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:52.240
And I said my goodbyes to everybody, and she dropped me off, you know.
00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:55.919
And back then, back in the 90s, it was a pagers, you know, the beaver area.
00:16:56.080 --> 00:17:00.240
So I told her, hey, uh, because I was concerned about her driving, I'll go, you know what?
00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:02.240
Um page me as soon as you get home.
00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:03.759
So she she's like, sure.
00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:06.559
So she takes off in like not even 15 minutes.
00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:08.720
I get a page and I call her up.
00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:10.000
Hey, did you get make it home?
00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:10.720
She goes, Yeah.
00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:12.960
Well, I'm just making sure you got home safe.
00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:14.079
I was just concerned.
00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:17.359
And I thought I was gonna just say, okay, I love you, good night.
00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:22.720
But I guess it was one of those conversations, like, no, you we stood up until 2 o'clock in the morning talking.
00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:25.440
And it was one of those conversations, like, no, you hang up first.
00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:26.240
No, you hang up.
00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:27.279
So I was like, you know what?
00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:28.480
Let's hang up with the same.
00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:28.880
Yeah.
00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:31.119
So I was like, you know what, let's hang up at the same time.
00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:38.640
So we did, and um, that was the what I did that Sunday, and like three days later, um, I'm getting that my day started.
00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:43.200
It's Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays were like my busiest days with college and work.
00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:44.640
And it was a Wednesday morning.
00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:49.839
I woke up, I was already awake by seven, you know, already getting ready, and I hear a knock at the door.
00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:51.759
I'm like, what the hell?
00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:58.160
And I look out my window and I could see a bunch of cop sherries right there, like surrounding my house.
00:17:58.319 --> 00:17:59.359
What the helicopter?
00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:01.359
I'm like, what the heck is going on here?
00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:04.960
So I opened the door and they're already pointing the guns.
00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:06.400
Hey, uh, what's your name?
00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:08.240
I'll go, my name is Because Lawyer.
00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:11.039
Oh, we got a search warrant for uh and everything.
00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:11.839
I'm like, what the hell?
00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:13.680
And they started reading my Miranda rights.
00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:17.680
You got the right to remain signing, everything you say will be used against the court of law.
00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:19.279
You got the right for an attorney.
00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:20.720
I was like, dude, what the hell?
00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:23.440
And they handcuffed me and they took me to the police station.
00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:25.200
I was like, nope, nobody was home with you?
00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:32.559
Yeah, there was family kind of right there at the house, and they're like, my mom was there, and she's all like, I was like, what the heck is going on?
00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:41.759
And you know, but they rushed me to the um police station, and I was like, I don't know what's going on, but that they read me my Miranda rights, and I was like, you know what?
00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:44.799
I don't need no attorney because I don't know what's going on.
00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:47.920
I'm gonna share the story, and the same story I just shared with you.
00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:49.039
I go, This is what I did.
00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:50.240
I did with my girlfriend.
00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:52.319
You know, I was with her, I was in a whole different situation.
00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:55.039
I don't know what at that time, still I didn't know what's going on.
00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:59.440
But my girlfriend ends up going to the police station, and they're like, Who are you?
00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:01.839
Because she's like, Hey, how come you guys arrest my boyfriend?
00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:03.119
I was like, Well, who are you?
00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:04.559
Well, that he's my boyfriend.
00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:08.640
So they I was like, Well, come here, and they end up on the detective put an audio tape.
00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:10.640
Well, so what you guys do on Sunday?
00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:14.319
And they recorded, and she said the same thing with the theaters.
00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:16.720
This is it, whatever you guys accusing my boyfriend.
00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:18.400
He had no involvement, you know.
00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:23.519
I could testify, whatever, but we uh he we didn't do nothing, so I'm here to to clarify.
00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:26.880
And and she said the same story that I said the same story.
00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:30.000
And and and and at this time, Miguel, try to think back.
00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:32.000
You're thinking, ah, this is just gonna go well, you know.
00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:32.720
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:37.440
You know, so sure enough, um you're gonna laugh about maybe tomorrow, you know.
00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:45.440
Yeah, so they raped my house and everything, they didn't find no weapons, and I guess it was a drive-by shooting that killed an innocent bystander.
00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:49.839
And I guess six witnesses seen that and they showed a photo lineup, a photo array.
00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:51.680
It's um six pictures, you know.
00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:53.119
Um explain that to them.
00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:57.920
It's six pictures of six different um could possibly be suspects in the picture.
00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:06.640
And I was in picture number four, and they showed uh to the six witnesses of the photo array which I'm in, they showed each one of them.
00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:09.200
Each one of them did not identify me.
00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:12.799
I did not know this until later down the line, until 2021.
00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:17.279
And anyways, they end up selecting someone else in photo number two, you know.
00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:22.880
Anyways, um, the cop they didn't have do you know who fo did you ever see photo number two?
00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:26.319
No, no, I didn't even know that they ended up picking someone else.
00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:31.279
I didn't even I I didn't even know that they ended up showing up a photo lineup on me at that time.
00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:37.440
I just knew like, okay, I was just being questioned, and I'm sitting in the sitting in the holding tank, like, okay, what's gonna happen?
00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:46.799
And finally, after 72 hours, if they have nothing against you, no, no evidence against in your house or against you, they have to release you within 72 hours.
00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:50.480
So the cop goes, you know, um, his name is um Dan McEldery.
00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:54.480
You know, he goes, he was the one investigating the homicide from Pico Rivera Sherry's.
00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:57.519
He goes, Miguel, I know you had nothing to do with it.
00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:58.720
Here's my card.
00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:00.079
Go find out who did it.
00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:03.119
Because if you don't find out, I'm gonna come after you whether you did it or not.
00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:06.400
And I was like, he already framed me from right that spit second.
00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:08.640
I was like, first of all, I was like, what the heck?
00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:10.319
What like I like, dude.
00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:12.640
First of all, I have no knowledge what's going on.
00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:14.720
Second of all, that's not my job.
00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:15.599
That's your job.
00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:16.559
Like to go do it.
00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:19.680
Like, why are you gonna try to put me in a predicament like that?
00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:21.359
But I had no idea what's going on.
00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:26.559
So I was like, I took his car and I was like, my mind, like, dude, you gotta do that doing the investigation.
00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:42.240
So when I get out the police station from Pico Rivera, there's the media right there recording me and meeting newspaper, and they humiliated me with my mugshot in the news in the Wheeler Daily newspaper saying possibly suspect released from this homicide.
00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:43.759
Could you just imagine?
00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:49.839
And and and let's say the reason they're blowing up this homicide is because it was an innocent victim, right?
00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:54.960
Exactly, you know, and I'm not knowing what's going on, and they're portraying me.
00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:59.759
Imagine portraying like your mugshot, anybody, someone you know, your loved one, and just say.
00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:04.240
Possibly suspect for you from your community of release from the desk.
00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:14.240
And like how I felt like, dude, with my face up there, I was already humiliated by the newspaper, putting myself like I'm some kind of suspect, some kind of killer, whatever they're trying to portray me.
00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:16.640
I'm like, dude, I don't know why you guys are doing this.
00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:21.759
Long story short, um, ten days later, I didn't end up calling this the detective.
00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:25.359
No, because I have no, I have no knowledge of what's going on.
00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:26.240
I can't assist.
00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:27.519
I can't, there's nothing I could do.
00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:30.400
Between these 10 days, did you seek an attorney?
00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:31.359
Um, no.
00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:44.880
So um what happened was that um when I got out, um, it was a Friday, because it they won't even help me, but and I told my girlfriend, hey, let's go to um Upton Way, let's go to Witter Village Cinemas, let's go retrieve that uh uh the surveillance tape.
00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:50.000
We need that to to show credibility that what I've been we've been saying that's the truth.
00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:53.359
So we um she goes, you know what, babe, um let's do it on Sunday.
00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:54.480
So I was like, alright.
00:22:54.640 --> 00:23:06.079
So um she picks me up, we go on her mom's station wagon again, and we go to up um Witterbridge Cinemas and we talk to John Murray, excuse me, um, we need a surveillance tape, and he's like, What's for?
00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:12.400
And I goes, for this is important, and I explained so it's regarding a murder that's trying to accuse me of something I didn't do.
00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:14.000
You know, he goes, you know what?
00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:15.920
I have good news and bad news.
00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:20.480
The bad news is that the the audio tape is which is back then VHS.
00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:26.559
Because the audio, the VHS rewinds every 72 hours, and it's already been a week.
00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:30.960
Yeah, he goes, but the good news is that I do remember you guys.
00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:34.400
I remember your girlfriend with the long hair, and what I could do.
00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:35.599
That's right, he's a witness.
00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:39.039
Yeah, he goes, what I could do is like you guys got your step tickets.
00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:39.680
I go, yeah.
00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:42.960
My girlfriend got the two step tickets and handed to him.
00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:46.319
He goes, These are the tickets you gave us to come watch out because we didn't like the movie.
00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:48.960
He goes, I do remember you guys complaining about the movie.
00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:57.920
Here's my and he got the step tickets, and behind the ticket, he goes, Here's my name, here's my home office and your um my cell phone.
00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:01.759
Oh no, my home, my work office and my home office from the theater.
00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:03.839
He goes, How some your attorney call me?
00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:05.039
I'm like, all right, cool.
00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:07.359
And um at that time, I was like, okay.
00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:20.799
So we we left, and 10 days later, um the detective calls my house and talks to one of my relatives and then tells um one of my brothers, one of my relatives says, Tell your brother that I'm coming after him for not calling him.
00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:26.799
So he already made a threat because I'm not calling or doing none of none of his dirty work because I have no knowledge, you know.
00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:34.000
So then afterwards, um sure enough, um, two months, uh, three months later, I guess, two months later to this investigation.
00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:40.319
Well, a month later, they showed a photo lineup again to the six witnesses because you know how it came out in the newspaper.
00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:47.519
So they showed a photo lineup, and four of them still saying it's not me, but two of them decided to change their mind.
00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:54.640
One of them um he was uh ended up picking me because he was being coerced by the cops because he's a pedophile.
00:24:54.799 --> 00:25:05.680
He ended up um saying that it was me because and then the other person had another felony, and then he was she was working with the cop, like trying to because she had a felony and she was being coerced.
00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:13.839
And um, long story short, um they showed us a six-pack, and the female um she ended up circling my picture.
00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:17.359
I was in a different picture, but I'm gonna call what she says.
00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:20.000
I'll go it's 75% is him.
00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:26.880
Now I'm gonna call what she says, but the actual suspect has big ears and mustache, you know.
00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:28.799
At that time, you can see my picture.
00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:32.960
I couldn't even grow no mustache, like on Tfas, I couldn't even get no peach bus.
00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:36.960
Yeah, and I don't can't even grow beard still to this day.
00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:39.279
I could barely grow anything, you know.
00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:43.359
So she still had doubt, but she was being coerced by the cops.
00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:56.720
So, due to those allegations right there, three months later, March 25th of 1999, three months after I was out, they come back again and they re-arrested me, and I was like, Well, I I'm gonna beat this.
00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:59.440
I have no knowledge, but that was my mindset.
00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:02.000
Like, I'm I didn't do nothing, I'm innocent.
00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:13.279
And so they they kept me, they're re-arresting me March 25th, and that's when my my my life changed, you know, that my life was just a nightmare from that moment around.
00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:18.319
And during those three months, you pretty much said it wasn't me.
00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:24.960
I got the ticket stubbed, I got the the theater supervisor um uh manager saying I was there.
00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:27.680
Everything was like all your ducks were in line, I think.
00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:30.640
So you thought nothing of it, you know.
00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:33.200
But so they come back and arrest you.
00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:35.359
Yeah, they they send you how old are you mind?
00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:44.880
I was I was still night, I was 19 years old, you know, and I'm county jail, and I'm I don't know nothing, I'm skinny little guy.
00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:49.200
Let let because I know some of the fans are were you a gang member?
00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:52.079
I was I was socialize with the wrong crowd, yes.
00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:57.519
Okay, because some of us haters, some of those haters are gonna come out while he was a gang member.
00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:58.720
But you know what?
00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:01.039
Not every gang member is an active gang member.
00:27:01.119 --> 00:27:06.640
And you and you know what active is coming in prison, you know what an active is and what somebody just being a gang member.
00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:13.599
So the as far as the cops, obviously, obviously they got everything that they could work off of.
00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:15.119
Yes, you know what I mean?
00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:20.720
Uh I know a few stories of wrongfully convicted people, you know, because I knew of the crime, you know.
00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:25.119
Whether you feel I should have said something or not, that's a whole nother thing.
00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:28.079
So, you're sitting in the county jail.
00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:30.400
Are you still thinking you're gonna beat this?
00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:34.079
Yes, in my mind, I was like, I there's no way I'm gonna get convicted.
00:27:34.319 --> 00:27:36.799
I got this, you know, I got my aliba, I got my girlfriend.
00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:37.839
No attorney yet?
00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:41.200
Uh once I got arrested, uh I did get an attorney.
00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:45.599
I was like, okay, so I ended up um getting this, and my family scraped up some money.
00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:48.960
This attorney, um, his name was Edwards Gedda.
00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:52.400
And um, we hired him, he wanted$30,000.
00:27:53.279 --> 00:27:57.200
And the 90s, and you know, we're pretty maintaining that's a whole lot of money.
00:27:57.359 --> 00:27:58.640
It's like 80,000 now.
00:27:58.880 --> 00:28:12.480
Yes, and not knowing at that time I didn't do too much research about him, you know, and um he was uh not knowing that he was an ex-sergeant from the rampart division, not knowing, you know.
00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:23.200
So me, I ended up getting him and I'm explaining to him, like, hey, I didn't do this, you know, here my girlfriend could, you know, could that's my alibi.
00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:25.039
And she shared the same thing to him to him.
00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:33.839
And then, anyways, long story short, um, when it was time for trial, um, you know, it took me a whole year to find for my trial to get.
00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:43.039
But at the beginning, I was like, you know, she got I was telling my child gets the step tickets, go interview that manager, go do investigate these witnesses.
00:28:43.200 --> 00:28:44.880
I didn't do nothing.
00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:52.799
You know, when we took the stand, like, I'm always gonna share something disgusting with this man, attorney Edward Skella, did to me.
00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:55.279
So we're at trial a year later, right?
00:28:55.440 --> 00:29:03.279
I'm in my suit, I'm sitting in the chair, you know, the the judge there, the 12 jurors is there, my life is on the line.
00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:05.359
Or you knew the victim's family there?
00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:12.240
Yes, the daughter was there, you know, and keep in mind that um I'm in trying, the DA is a female.
00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:14.880
You know, she's starting her career and everything.
00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:21.839
And my trial attorney, Edward Skelas, has the decency to tell me, come right here to my face.
00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:24.079
We're in trial, you know?
00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:28.799
And he tells me, hey, Miguel, I'm gonna fuck the DA.
00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:30.319
I'm like, what?
00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:32.079
Like, you fucking kidding me?
00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:33.920
Like, dude, what the heck are you talking about?
00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:35.519
You know, I'm like in the line.
00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:42.640
Yeah, my life is in the line, and keep in mind, I'm like, I was just so disgusted, like you're not focused, like, dude, you're not caring about me.
00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:51.279
You know, so I believe that that's why he just like wasn't doing no investigation to sleep with the DA to have his little fun, but get his points with her.
00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:53.599
Yeah, and it's the win for her, obviously.
00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:55.839
Exactly, because she's trying to build a career.
00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:59.920
And and and let's be honest, not to change the subject.
00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:01.680
District attorneys are politicians.
00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:02.559
Big time, yes.
00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:03.519
They're politicians.
00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:08.319
The more convictions they get, they'll either get rehired or move up to a higher position.
00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:19.680
Your ex-member because I just that's why it's you know, I I've been convicted of three felonies myself, and it amazed me that they talk about you, the DA, like if they were with you on the crime.
00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:20.480
You know what I mean?
00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:22.000
Like, yeah, you know what I mean?
00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:36.079
And and and later on I found out they're politicians, and any every conviction they get, it's just a point on their sleeve, you know, but and you got it right on the money because my DA, she's building her career, she don't care whether you're guilty or not.
00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:47.119
That's right, you know, and it happened to be that she ended up becoming a judge, you know, because whether you because convictions like mine, you know, whether you're innocent or guilty, she just wanted convictions to build her career, like you're saying.
00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:57.119
And the sad part about it, Miguel, is sometimes they can know, but it just goes to show on their side that's how good of a disagree I can convict somebody that isn't guilty.
00:30:57.359 --> 00:30:57.759
Exactly.
00:30:58.240 --> 00:30:59.440
Sad and scary.
00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:00.160
Yeah.
00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:02.079
So so you're in trial.
00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:02.720
Yeah.
00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:05.119
What is the victim's daughter doing?
00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:06.640
Is she mad dogging you?
00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:07.680
She's just looking at it.
00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:19.519
She's just looking and she's hearing all the evidence, you know, and um keep in mind, you know, that feeling like just being in there and having all these people thinking that you're some kind of killer.
00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:24.720
Yeah, and as soon as you're like, people are gonna go, well, why is he on the hot seat?
00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:25.680
Why is he in the chair?
00:31:25.759 --> 00:31:30.079
Like, why are they it goes, it I go, and I'm like, dude, I didn't do this.
00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:33.599
And I'm trying to be like, sh say, like, tell the DA, I have no knowledge of this.
00:31:33.839 --> 00:31:35.599
I didn't do this, you know, I'm innocent.
00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:42.559
And keep in mind, I'm six months into my uh my journey of this rank of conviction, I believe in August of '99.
00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:51.599
I remember going to court, Norwalk court, and um the DA tells the judge, Your Honor, we're gonna drop the death penalty on Miguel Salorio, and we find him convicted.
00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:53.839
You were fighting the death pillar?
00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:54.720
Yes, not knowing.
00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:55.440
Oh my god.
00:31:55.759 --> 00:32:02.880
And when she said that and goes, and we we convict Miguel Salario, Your Honor, we're gonna give him life without the possibility of pro.
00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:15.200
And I still remember that feeling like, dude, the right back to from the county bus to the uh to the county jail was like, they want to execute, they want to execute and kill an innocent person.
00:32:15.599 --> 00:32:20.720
And that's when I was like, dude, well, I gotta, and I was uh telling my attorney could do this, do that.
00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:22.319
Now they're being now serious.
00:32:22.400 --> 00:32:29.119
Yeah, I'm damn playing around, like, dude, they're coming out swinging and him below the bell and everything playing dirty with me, you know.
00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:30.880
And I like, dude, I have no knowledge.
00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:35.359
Just imagine knowing that I could have got executed, you know?
00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:45.519
So they um I took it a trial, my girlfriend took the stand, and uh unfortunately the audio tape, when she took the stand, she was telling the jury, I was my boyfriend.
00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:58.880
I was here this, this, and that, you know, and keep I but yet uh when the the cop, the detective, um Dak Dan McIndare took the stand, they're like, no, his girlfriend just covering up for him and everything.
00:32:59.039 --> 00:33:18.880
But yet he withheld this, the audio tape when they first recorded, when the she went to the police station, she withheld that, he withheld that out audio tape, and there's a case called Brady versus Marinette, where which is this case is whether it's punishable or innocent to the defendant, should always be provided to the jury and everybody so they could know the facts.
00:33:19.039 --> 00:33:27.200
But unfortunately, since that audio tape was already innocent, like proving my innocence, they didn't want to, they didn't want to um hold it.
00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:31.200
So that was prosecution and police misconduct right there and there.
00:33:31.359 --> 00:33:37.200
So when my girlfriend took the stand, they chewed the the jury believed the cop over my girlfriend.
00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:40.799
You know, and just made her sound like she's just covering for you, period.
00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:43.440
Yeah, nothing else, just she's just covering for him, you know.
00:33:43.680 --> 00:33:49.680
Yeah, and my girlfriend told me from the very day when this and when I got rearrested the second time, she goes, you know what, Miguel?
00:33:49.839 --> 00:33:52.000
You know, she's a joke, she's a Christian woman.
00:33:52.160 --> 00:33:53.839
She's like, you know what, Miguel?
00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:58.480
If I wouldn't have been with you that night of the murder, I probably would have had that or left you.
00:33:58.559 --> 00:34:04.079
But since I know for a fact that you were with me, we're gonna fight this until we get judged, until we beat this.
00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:12.559
You know, and she can't she kept the word, you know, and sure enough, when she took the stand, my sister said they destroyed her credibility and everything.
00:34:12.800 --> 00:34:18.960
Long story short is that um when the they finally the verdict came, there was um three days of deliberation.
00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:22.559
Um on the third day, one of the jurors didn't want to participate.
00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:25.280
And they go, like, no, I don't want to participate.
00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:31.760
I think that jury actually wanted to find me not guilty, but they asked them, Well, why you don't want to participate?
00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:38.320
He goes, I got my reasons, and they dismissed it, and they got a new jury, and on the third day they just found me guilty.
00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:46.800
And they're like, well, they've got a verdict, and we're they're like, the deer goes, Well, Judge, we gotta take the jury finding a verdict, and I'm right there sitting down.
00:34:46.880 --> 00:34:48.800
He goes, We What did you think at that moment?
00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:50.320
I was like, I I'm gonna beat it.
00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:52.559
Like, uh, I'm interested, like, dude, you know.
00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:55.440
Oh, and they called John Murray too to the stand.
00:34:55.599 --> 00:35:00.800
We called him, but you know, keep in mind it's already been a whole year since the the incident.
00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:06.639
So when he took the stand, John Murray goes, Well, um, no one came to interview me.
00:35:06.800 --> 00:35:10.559
No one came to ask me about this case, and my mind's dirty.
00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:11.199
I don't know much.
00:35:11.280 --> 00:35:15.679
I'll go, Yeah, those stealth tickets, that is my name, my phone number, but no one interviewed me.
00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:34.320
So my attorney fell to interview him, and when he took the stand, it's like it's like when someone trying to ask you questions about a year, oh, you remember the relationship or something you did, or something that happened, you went to this, go to uh Chick-fil-A a year ago with so-and-so, like, well, dude, that's been a long time, and I'll you're kind of blurred, so that's exactly what happened.
00:35:34.400 --> 00:35:37.199
So that was that was his information wasn't too solid.
00:35:37.440 --> 00:35:38.079
I don't know, Miguel.
00:35:38.159 --> 00:35:39.280
I gotta speak on that.
00:35:39.360 --> 00:35:41.199
If he wrote his name down, he knew.
00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:42.400
Yeah, exactly.
00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:42.880
You know?
00:35:43.039 --> 00:35:43.519
He knew.
00:35:43.679 --> 00:35:44.239
Yeah.
00:35:44.400 --> 00:35:51.920
And uh when the jury um came back and they're like, we the jury finally finding Miguel guilty in the first degree.
00:35:52.239 --> 00:35:55.440
I was like blown away, like, dude, my heart sank.
00:35:55.519 --> 00:36:02.719
And I as soon as they like went like that, I looked at the DA, I was like, I'm innocent, I'm innocent, like you it just can't be.
00:36:02.960 --> 00:36:12.000
And she just looked at me evilly and she just winked at me like, I got you, you know, like you're making a mistake, you know, you're making a mistake, I didn't do nothing, you know.
00:36:12.239 --> 00:36:17.679
And I was just like, dude, I was trying to like, and my life just changed from that moment on.
00:36:17.840 --> 00:36:30.400
I was like, dude, I was just like dude, only like 19 years old, life without the possibility, which means it's the second worst sentence a human being could get in the state of California or any country.
00:36:30.480 --> 00:36:33.760
It means that I don't even have a chance to go to war.
00:36:34.239 --> 00:36:41.920
Not even a chance for our life, nothing to even like you know, to to get a chance to hit society means I'm gonna die in prison.
00:36:42.159 --> 00:36:49.679
Yeah, because I think in your your era, I'm before you, they were giving uh indefinite deaths, and that's what you have.
00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:50.559
Like definitely.
00:36:50.719 --> 00:36:51.039
Yeah, yeah.
00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:52.960
You're not don't even think about going to war.
00:36:53.119 --> 00:36:55.840
I don't care how good you do in prison, just you're there, bro.
00:36:55.920 --> 00:36:57.440
You're gonna die in there, you know.
00:36:57.679 --> 00:36:59.599
You know, and that's exactly it.
00:36:59.760 --> 00:37:06.239
So throughout my journey, I like I like too, like So, real quick, Miguel, that ride back to the county.
00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:09.360
It was one of the saddest moments of my life.
00:37:09.519 --> 00:37:13.760
Like, dude, like, you know, uh depriving me from my freedom, you know.
00:37:14.079 --> 00:37:14.960
Hopelessness, you know.
00:37:15.119 --> 00:37:18.079
Yeah, I was like, did God ever come in your mind?
00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:23.760
Yes, I I first started when God came in my life was in 2018.
00:37:24.239 --> 00:37:28.079
You know, 18, I say about 18, 19 years into my journey.
00:37:28.239 --> 00:37:30.800
You know, at first I was Is that what you call it a journey?
00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:31.840
Yeah, uh nightmare.
00:37:33.280 --> 00:37:39.599
When yeah, when I started with this nightmare, like there wasn't I'll pick up the pen from the beginning of this nightmare.
00:37:39.679 --> 00:37:42.800
I'll pick up the pen, write attorney, hey, help me, help me.
00:37:42.880 --> 00:37:46.559
You know, I knew So you were always doing, you were always writing attorneys?
00:37:46.719 --> 00:37:47.360
Oh everything.
00:37:47.440 --> 00:37:51.920
I even um back then didn't have social media like they do now, like Instagram, Facebook.
00:37:52.159 --> 00:37:57.280
Back then they had like pr like websites and like to kind of like dating websites.
00:37:57.679 --> 00:38:14.960
But um in 2004, um I was with my my girl, but I told her, I'm gonna throw this website not for dating, but to help get attorneys to read the articles we had on Instagram, and she like go for do it, you know, and no reluctant, nothing, no, no, no, no attorneys out there.
00:38:15.199 --> 00:38:23.519
I paid like$70 just for one year so I could get attention and I put my case, facts, like you know, it's not me, and this and that.
00:38:23.679 --> 00:38:31.920
I even told them the only even at trial I was telling them the only reason why you guys are uh picked me out on the six six pack, because those two witnesses took the stand saying it was me.
00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:35.119
I go, You guys only pick me up because you guys see my picture in the newspaper.
00:38:35.280 --> 00:38:37.920
You guys were not, you guys never like that's the reason why.
00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:40.639
So you got to speak it or not?
00:38:40.719 --> 00:38:43.039
No, I I didn't I didn't take the stand, you know.
00:38:43.119 --> 00:38:44.719
I didn't take the stand or nothing, you know.
00:38:46.639 --> 00:38:51.360
Yeah, my vibe my attorney goes, I advise you not to take the stand just whatever happened to that fool.
00:38:51.679 --> 00:39:01.039
I think he's still um practicing law, you know, but I do want to tell him that dude, I've been telling you that I was innocent and I still I'm gonna tell him this it's messed up that during my trial.
00:39:01.280 --> 00:39:02.400
Can you sue his ass?
00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:03.920
Uh I'm I'm not sure.
00:39:04.079 --> 00:39:05.199
I'm not I've been doing that.
00:39:05.280 --> 00:39:06.079
At least stock them up.
00:39:06.239 --> 00:39:06.559
Yeah, yeah.
00:39:06.800 --> 00:39:08.719
At least at least chin check them, man.
00:39:08.880 --> 00:39:11.039
Yeah, just don't don't get his services, man.
00:39:11.360 --> 00:39:12.480
Yeah, yeah, bro.
00:39:12.719 --> 00:39:20.880
You know, that's you know, lose your money, but um I'll with that Miguel going through prison is no joke.
00:39:21.280 --> 00:39:23.360
You're considered a Southsider, obviously.
00:39:24.159 --> 00:39:33.360
So that means when you know, a lot of people say, well, you can't do your time, you know, by yourself, but I personally know you could stay clean if you want to.
00:39:33.760 --> 00:39:37.840
But if there's a riot kicks off, you're you're required to step up.
00:39:38.000 --> 00:39:38.239
Yeah.
00:39:38.480 --> 00:39:40.480
So that in itself can get you in trouble.
00:39:40.800 --> 00:39:43.119
That in itself can get you more time.
00:39:43.599 --> 00:39:47.840
But you got, you know, let's be honest, you got all the time in the world.
00:39:48.320 --> 00:39:48.559
Yeah.
00:39:48.719 --> 00:39:54.400
How was your prison stay to keep you motivated to keep trying to get out?
00:39:54.559 --> 00:39:58.559
You know, the the the thing that motivated me was my my family.
00:39:58.639 --> 00:40:03.920
You know, they were so believing in me, supportive, and they're every step of the way.
00:40:04.159 --> 00:40:08.639
And that's what inspired me to stay focused and try not to lose hope.
00:40:08.800 --> 00:40:14.000
You know, but I there had to be some days where Yeah, at one point I gotta die in here.
00:40:14.320 --> 00:40:16.000
At one point I did lose hope.
00:40:16.159 --> 00:40:22.559
You know, excuse me, in 2015 I was losing hope because um I wrote this attorney, Ellen Eggers, in 2011.
00:40:23.920 --> 00:40:28.400
Yeah, in 2011 I wrote her because um I seen this case about Frankie Carrillo.
00:40:28.480 --> 00:40:31.440
It was a drive-by shooting that killed the he was only 17 that killed this person.
00:40:33.519 --> 00:40:36.880
No, no, no, it's simple that I heard about that exactly.
00:40:37.119 --> 00:40:42.480
And it was this attorney um had ex beat this case, exonerated uh innocence too.
00:40:42.559 --> 00:40:44.960
And I beat my case, please help me, please help me.
00:40:45.119 --> 00:40:47.679
His case is like, man, drive by shooting everything.
00:40:47.760 --> 00:40:48.719
I'm innocent.
00:40:48.880 --> 00:40:56.559
And she's from Sacramento, and she writes to me, she's like, Miguel, I'm sorry, I can't help you because I'm a public defender from Sacramento.
00:40:56.960 --> 00:40:59.199
But once I retire, I could probably help you.
00:41:01.280 --> 00:41:04.000
I know some sources from San Diego Innocence Project.
00:41:04.079 --> 00:41:06.719
Since your case is down there, I'm gonna connect you.
00:41:06.800 --> 00:41:09.920
So um the San Diego Innocence Project started like taking my case.
00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:12.079
I have my little bit of hopes and everything.
00:41:12.159 --> 00:41:22.000
Because keep in mind, I'm already in like 16, like fit a couple years, more than 10 years into this nightmare, and I'm finally like, oh, finally, maybe my voice could be heard.
00:41:22.079 --> 00:41:43.840
And then um law students will review my case, but sad to say, like in 2015, um, they wrote me back, they sent all my paper, my my my whole work, my on my case back saying, Miguel, we're sorry we can't help you no more because um one of the witnesses that we're trying to come uh investigate or contact doesn't want to cooperate, so without that witness, there's no case.
00:41:44.480 --> 00:41:49.519
And so another door being closed, being and I I lost hope.
00:41:49.679 --> 00:41:51.519
I did lose hope and I got surprised.
00:41:51.760 --> 00:41:53.440
I didn't see everybody cried like a baby.
00:41:53.760 --> 00:41:55.920
Yeah, I got like them, yeah.
00:41:57.280 --> 00:42:11.440
And it was 2015 and I just like started giving up, not eating, depression hit me, and literally like they had to give me like a feeding tube, do all kinds of stuff on me, electric convulsive treatment, and then I started like getting better and like nothing else was working, you know.
00:42:12.320 --> 00:42:12.800
You hit rock bottom.
00:42:13.760 --> 00:42:20.960
You know, I was kind of like losing hope basically, but uh I remember right there they give you like those little Bibles right there in prison, you know.
00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:25.760
And I remember seeing some guy, he had a Bible with his name, and I go, Hey, what did you get?
00:42:25.840 --> 00:42:26.960
That Bible was 2018.
00:42:27.039 --> 00:42:29.199
He goes, All right, this um church, they'll send it to you.
00:42:29.280 --> 00:42:30.159
It takes a couple times.
00:42:30.239 --> 00:42:35.360
So I wrote them and they finally they sent me a Bible, you know, and I was like, dude, you know what?
00:42:35.519 --> 00:42:37.199
I'm gonna start seeking God.
00:42:37.360 --> 00:42:38.559
That's that's what I need.
00:42:38.719 --> 00:42:44.800
So in 2018, every morning I wake up at five o'clock in the morning, start praising him, giving, reading the Bible.
00:42:44.880 --> 00:42:48.639
And at that time, I still had no attorney, no representing, nothing.
00:42:48.800 --> 00:42:51.360
But I was like, God, I believe in you, I trust in you.
00:42:51.599 --> 00:42:56.079
I started building that, drawing closer to her, to him, praising him, and everything.
00:42:56.239 --> 00:43:04.239
Then um, and thanks to like God, I could honestly say thanks to him after getting drawing closer to God in August of 2021.
00:43:04.639 --> 00:43:10.239
And some same attorney, Alan Eggers, she writes me and she goes, Miguel, guess what?
00:43:10.639 --> 00:43:12.639
Um, I retired.
00:43:12.719 --> 00:43:17.599
I'm gonna take your case pro bono, which means free of charge.
00:43:17.840 --> 00:43:21.199
I was like, thank you, Jesus, thank you, God.
00:43:21.440 --> 00:43:24.559
Goes your kind of cases normally have charged 500 grand.
00:43:25.119 --> 00:43:26.480
That's half a million.
00:43:26.639 --> 00:43:29.519
I was like, but for you, I'm gonna do it for free.
00:43:29.760 --> 00:43:31.920
And I was like, oh my God.
00:43:32.079 --> 00:43:39.119
And I was just like, I was like, thank you, Jesus, thank you, God, like, thank you for finally like having my prayers be here.
00:43:39.280 --> 00:43:40.800
Because I was like what day was that?
00:43:40.960 --> 00:43:42.639
That was August of 2021.
00:43:42.800 --> 00:43:44.000
You probably know the date of everything.
00:43:44.320 --> 00:43:47.280
Yes, you know, and um she started Yes, bro.
00:43:47.360 --> 00:43:49.840
I can't even uh just you telling me gives me the chill.
00:43:50.400 --> 00:43:53.440
Yes, you know, so I So how did that journey start?
00:43:53.599 --> 00:43:56.480
So I was like my Alan Egg.
00:43:56.880 --> 00:43:58.000
Three years have you been down now?
00:43:58.159 --> 00:43:59.760
Right there, I was probably down already like 20.
00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:13.519
22, 22, over over, and once I hit 20 years, I'm not gonna lie, I felt like, damn, what is this gonna what is like once I hit 20 years, two decades, I was like, bro, getting tired, like, dude, when is my voice gonna be heard?
00:44:13.599 --> 00:44:19.920
But finally, God sent me like an angel, Ellen Edgers, and she goes, you know what, Miguel?
00:44:20.320 --> 00:44:21.039
I'm gonna take your case.
00:44:21.199 --> 00:44:24.320
We're gonna contact the Northern California Innocence Project.
00:44:24.480 --> 00:44:25.679
We're gonna get them involved.
00:44:25.840 --> 00:44:38.639
Sarah Pace and Kate, uh Paige Kenneth are gonna take your case, and we're also gonna contact the DA from the district attorney from Los Angeles, and we're gonna have them, it's called the Conviction Target Unit.
00:44:38.800 --> 00:44:41.760
He goes, and right there, they helped innocent cases.
00:44:41.840 --> 00:44:45.679
So those are DAs and cops that review innocent cases.
00:44:45.920 --> 00:45:00.559
Right there's hundreds of letters going there, and they have this short and limited on resources, so they only take 10 cases per year to investigate because they're doing thorough investigations, but mine was number nine out of those ten.
00:45:01.119 --> 00:45:20.400
I was like, thank you, God, like things are looking like like my voice is fine, like you know, I'm starting to smile, like already trusting in God, like even once I start building that relationship with God, and I was like, dude, we got the Northern California's project, we got the conviction triggering, and we got L Mangro.
00:45:20.719 --> 00:45:24.480
So they're all advocating they start finding a rate of habeas corpus.
00:45:24.719 --> 00:45:33.679
For those that don't know what a rate writ up habeas corpus is newly discovered evidence that was never produced at trial, you know, that could be a new outcome.
00:45:33.840 --> 00:45:38.400
So NTIP, the Northern California project started getting new evidence.
00:45:38.559 --> 00:45:51.199
They brought a lot of exculpatory evidence on my behalf, and they um finally in um let's see in um March, you know, they did in March of 2023.
00:45:51.280 --> 00:45:53.440
That's when um, you know, I was in my cell.
00:45:53.599 --> 00:46:03.039
I remember that day, and you know, I was in my cell, it was like around three o'clock in the afternoon, and I just I felt a little overwhelmed, but still I had that faith in God.
00:46:03.119 --> 00:46:10.000
I got on my knees and I started praying to God, like God, you know, I have faith in you that you're gonna open the doors, you're gonna clear my name.
00:46:10.159 --> 00:46:11.760
You're you're readers of heart.
00:46:11.840 --> 00:46:13.199
You know my heart's white of snow.
00:46:13.280 --> 00:46:14.800
You know I have no involvement in this.
00:46:14.960 --> 00:46:19.119
You know that you're gonna bring justice to my name, you're gonna clear clear my name.
00:46:19.199 --> 00:46:20.159
I trust in you.
00:46:20.320 --> 00:46:22.800
I have faith in you that you and I don't doubt you.
00:46:23.039 --> 00:46:23.760
I believe in you.
00:46:23.840 --> 00:46:24.960
I'm a strong believer.
00:46:25.119 --> 00:46:27.360
My faith, you know me, I believe in you.
00:46:27.519 --> 00:46:43.920
And after like crying and sobbing and on my knees inside the cell, I got up, you know, and right there, you you know, you got concrete walls, so you only have a little window, but I walked back in the cell and I looked out the window just to clear my mind and the art of all the things.
00:46:44.000 --> 00:46:45.280
You know, I'm wiping my tears.
00:46:45.360 --> 00:46:51.599
I look right there at the window and I see this big old amazing, beautiful rainbow just right there, like staring at me.
00:46:51.679 --> 00:46:54.800
And I felt like, you know, well, God, you're hearing my prayers.
00:46:55.039 --> 00:47:00.400
Like I felt this something about that rainbow that made me believe that God's listening to me.
00:47:00.480 --> 00:47:04.079
Like, like a father talks to a son when they have a one-on-one conversation.
00:47:04.239 --> 00:47:06.639
I felt God was hearing me, you know.
00:47:06.880 --> 00:47:20.239
And then in July of 2028, of 2023, um, they say, you know what, my Northern California's project, my attorney Alan Eggers, and um submitted a rate of habeas corpus.
00:47:20.400 --> 00:47:24.159
They showed a copy to the conviction trigger unit, they submit it.
00:47:24.719 --> 00:47:29.840
Then again in September of 2023, I'm walking the yard, right?
00:47:30.400 --> 00:47:34.719
And and I'm waiting to for a response from the courts, but I'm walking the yard.
00:47:34.880 --> 00:47:41.119
Oh no, it was a Saturday night, and um I'm in my cell, and I felt overwhelmed still, you know.
00:47:41.280 --> 00:47:45.519
I have my saturated and everything, but uh at that moment I was like, you know what I'm gonna do?
00:47:45.679 --> 00:47:51.119
I got on my knees, I started praying to God and everything, sobbing and crying, like, God, I believe in you.
00:47:51.199 --> 00:47:53.280
I I know you're gonna bring justice to me.
00:47:53.360 --> 00:47:57.440
I I don't I don't doubt you, but I still feel overwhelmed, but I still have believed in him.
00:47:57.679 --> 00:48:01.119
I went back to sleep and in the morning they did on like to go to the yard.
00:48:01.199 --> 00:48:10.239
It was a Sunday, and I'm they doing like eight o'clock and I started walking, and talking about things I see, I see this big old epic rainbow just right there on top of me.
00:48:10.480 --> 00:48:11.760
And I say, you know what?
00:48:11.920 --> 00:48:14.159
This time I know it's not a coincidence.
00:48:14.320 --> 00:48:17.119
I know this time he's listening to my prayers.
00:48:17.280 --> 00:48:21.920
I end up getting coup spumps all over my body, like, dude, this is not a coincidence no more.
00:48:22.320 --> 00:48:26.400
Same like every time I got on my knees to praise him, you know, bro.
00:48:26.719 --> 00:48:32.800
Like I I felt like every time that was right there, he's like telling me, don't worry, everything's gonna be okay.
00:48:32.880 --> 00:48:34.880
You know, you you trusted me, I got you.
00:48:35.039 --> 00:48:37.519
That's the kind of connection I was feeling with him.
00:48:37.679 --> 00:48:53.599
And then that one on uh October, the my attorney goes, Hey, the they can concided, they conceded with uh concided with us, so we're gonna have a court on November, we're gonna have a webcam, and and you're gonna have court with the judge November 9th, because they filed that.
00:48:53.840 --> 00:49:02.559
So when you heard that news, yes, I was like, whoa, so I went over this is actually the first anything that's happened in the 23 years, bro.
00:49:02.960 --> 00:49:10.960
Yes, and um happened to be that um my attorney, um Sarah Pace from the Northern California Instance Project goes, you know what, Miguel?
00:49:11.119 --> 00:49:19.599
It's really rare that um that the DA and everything, because I agree with us that what they've been doing to you is injustice.
00:49:19.920 --> 00:49:29.440
And everything, no many cases like yours take months and years for the DA to finally say, you know what, this guy is actually innocent.
00:49:29.599 --> 00:49:43.280
But mine lasted from um July, August, September, October, like three, like literally 90 days, three months to the DA goes, hey, we agree with that that this man is actually innocent.
00:49:43.360 --> 00:49:52.159
And when I went to court November 9th, 2023, the judge goes, Miguel, uh, we're sorry, we apologize to the justice system failed you.
00:49:52.400 --> 00:49:54.320
You had no involvement in this.
00:49:54.480 --> 00:49:58.320
There's exculpatory evidence that does not, you're not even there.
00:49:58.880 --> 00:50:02.960
Um, what we're gonna do, we're gonna vacate and dismiss all charges.
00:50:03.199 --> 00:50:07.199
The sad thing about it, the sad thing about it almost have a heart attack and die.
00:50:08.239 --> 00:50:08.880
You know what I mean?
00:50:09.039 --> 00:50:09.199
Yeah.
00:50:09.519 --> 00:50:12.079
Just like when you heard those words.
00:50:12.400 --> 00:50:15.199
I was like, I looked up and I was like, thank you.
00:50:15.360 --> 00:50:16.639
Don't be playing with me, ain't it?
00:50:16.800 --> 00:50:17.039
Yeah.
00:50:17.280 --> 00:50:18.719
And I still didn't believe it.
00:50:18.960 --> 00:50:19.840
This is on the website, right?
00:50:20.000 --> 00:50:20.880
Yeah, this is on the webcam.
00:50:21.760 --> 00:50:21.840
Yeah.
00:50:22.000 --> 00:50:23.199
So you're not actually in the parking lot.
00:50:23.360 --> 00:50:37.760
Yeah, so so then afterwards, um, and the following day was the Veterans Day, so I waited until Monday to all the paperwork, and finally November 13, 2023, I came and walked out of prison, and I was just in disbelief.
00:50:38.000 --> 00:50:39.920
I was like, How many years total?
00:50:40.239 --> 00:50:44.719
Uh exactly 20, about 20, close to 25 years, about 25 years.
00:50:44.960 --> 00:50:47.280
19 years old, and I came out at 44.
00:50:47.440 --> 00:50:48.079
Oh my god.
00:50:48.239 --> 00:50:51.920
So a whole quarter of a century for something I had no involvement.
00:50:52.400 --> 00:51:03.840
No involvement, you know, and I praise God that without him, without me not drawing closer to him, I think I probably would have been dead and dying it slowly but surely in prison.
00:51:04.079 --> 00:51:05.280
Or or just got into the mix.
00:51:05.519 --> 00:51:05.679
Yeah.
00:51:08.320 --> 00:51:08.719
Why not?
00:51:08.880 --> 00:51:09.360
Yeah, yeah.
00:51:09.599 --> 00:51:10.559
You got to lose, you know.
00:51:10.719 --> 00:51:12.079
Yeah, and I started praising it.
00:51:12.320 --> 00:51:24.719
It seems like everything was just lining perfect from 2018 to 2021, those three years, I didn't have no one out here defending me, but who was defending was the God, a man above.
00:51:25.280 --> 00:51:32.000
Yeah, and I came home November 13, 2023, and I was just the happiest man in the world in the world.
00:51:32.159 --> 00:51:43.519
But that night when when I got exoned, um, when the judge vacated the the um the sentencing and everything through my name, when I went back to my cell that night, I remember I was in my cell.
00:51:44.000 --> 00:51:45.280
So you knew already I'm going home.
00:51:45.440 --> 00:51:46.320
Yeah, I'm going home.
00:51:46.480 --> 00:51:48.079
And I was watching the TV too.
00:51:48.159 --> 00:51:52.320
I was watching the TV, you know, right there you could get a 15-inch um TV screen.
00:51:52.480 --> 00:51:55.199
And I was watching um a row of evil, right?
00:51:55.360 --> 00:52:08.559
It's a Spanish show, and it was commercial, so I was just flipping the channels, you know, and I was flipping the channels, and out of uh out of all the things I could see, there was a big old rainbow like right there in front of my screen of my TV, you know.
00:52:09.360 --> 00:52:12.480
And I bet every time you see a rainbow, you say, you know, thank you, Jesus.
00:52:12.639 --> 00:52:17.679
Yeah, and I I say it because that's God's pride for people that don't know what a rainbow is, yeah.
00:52:17.760 --> 00:52:24.559
It's God's promises exactly, but to me it was a God's promise because I was seeking him, I was drawing closer to him.
00:52:24.880 --> 00:52:25.920
Be faithful, my servant.
00:52:26.639 --> 00:52:26.800
Yes.
00:52:27.199 --> 00:52:27.840
Okay, amen.
00:52:28.320 --> 00:52:35.199
Yes, you know, because now let's let's jump into I I'm just talking from the heart.
00:52:35.360 --> 00:52:36.239
Payback almost.
00:52:36.639 --> 00:52:37.119
Payback.
00:52:37.920 --> 00:52:40.960
Well, why can't this district attorney be punished?
00:52:41.039 --> 00:52:43.519
Why can't the state be punished?
00:52:43.840 --> 00:52:44.880
Did you sue him?
00:52:45.199 --> 00:52:48.800
Um, because this this was actually possible Excuse me, real quick.
00:52:48.960 --> 00:52:52.400
I know some states will let you go, but you can't sue us.
00:52:52.559 --> 00:52:55.920
Yeah, they make you sign a contract, and some states they'll be like, you know what?
00:52:56.000 --> 00:52:59.119
Yeah, we know we're on fault, but you gotta sign, but you can't sue us.
00:52:59.199 --> 00:53:01.840
You ain't not gonna get no kind of settlement, no money, but you get it.
00:53:02.079 --> 00:53:05.199
We took 25 years of your life, but you know, yeah, get out, bro.
00:53:05.440 --> 00:53:07.920
Yeah, and and keep in mind, like mine was 25 years.
00:53:08.079 --> 00:53:09.679
I'm stuck in the pagers days.
00:53:09.840 --> 00:53:16.320
So for those, so for those people that don't get paid out, like don't even get some kind of settlement or anything, nothing going.
00:53:16.480 --> 00:53:20.000
So imagine just throwing back to the feature, like with now AI and everything.
00:53:20.320 --> 00:53:31.840
You're gonna be like, technology is so advanced, I still have problems trying to understand um the new cell phones because back then didn't have cell phones unless you were a doctor, Motorola, stuff like that.
00:53:31.920 --> 00:53:33.119
You know, you're bothered.
00:53:33.280 --> 00:53:41.920
But now nowadays I remember when I was out, my niece, she's only five years old, and I'm trying to put a on my cell phone a screen picture of my dog.
00:53:42.000 --> 00:53:43.280
His name is Freedom, right?
00:53:43.360 --> 00:53:47.039
And my boxer has a screen thing, goes, Oh, I can't help you tell.
00:53:47.199 --> 00:53:49.519
Five year old goes, there you go.
00:53:49.760 --> 00:53:51.519
I was like, what the heck?
00:53:51.679 --> 00:53:55.119
She made me feel this big, like, what the hell?
00:53:55.360 --> 00:53:59.039
A little kid just showing me in seconds, oh yeah, yeah.
00:53:59.280 --> 00:54:03.440
And now that technology, but to me, it's like this new technology is still kind of difficult.
00:54:03.599 --> 00:54:04.719
I'm trying to understand it.
00:54:04.800 --> 00:54:08.239
I'm still having like trouble to adjust stuff like that.
00:54:08.320 --> 00:54:17.440
Like coming out was like, I remember my attorney, Simone from um Northern California's project, she handed me like um a debit card, right?
00:54:17.599 --> 00:54:24.960
And I remember I was in Target, I was just out like maybe three, four days or two days, and we're like going some to store.
00:54:25.119 --> 00:54:26.800
You came back to Whittier or where did you go?
00:54:26.960 --> 00:54:30.079
I was I uh I was um yeah, I came back to Whittier and everything.
00:54:30.239 --> 00:54:34.159
And she, I'm trying, I'm in Target and I'm like, I'm reading real quick.
00:54:34.320 --> 00:54:35.840
Did this hit the media when you got home?
00:54:36.000 --> 00:54:38.000
Yes, it hit the media and everything.
00:54:38.079 --> 00:54:39.440
Yeah, my whole thing.
00:54:39.599 --> 00:54:42.480
Because I remember I wanted to surprise my mom, right?
00:54:42.639 --> 00:54:45.280
And like knock out the door like mom at this time.
00:54:46.079 --> 00:54:48.480
Luckily, thank God that my mom's still alive.
00:54:48.639 --> 00:54:59.039
She was 76 years old, and I remember telling my mom, because she used to come visit me once a month with my sister, that were always the faithful ones.
00:54:59.199 --> 00:55:04.239
But I remember telling my mom, um, she came to visit me in October of 2023.
00:55:04.320 --> 00:55:12.079
The last time she came to visit me, I told my mom, uh when the visit was over, I go, I told her, this is gonna be the last hug, I'm gonna give you a present.
00:55:12.159 --> 00:55:16.960
I told her, next time I give you a hug, it's gonna be out there in the streets.
00:55:17.119 --> 00:55:18.719
I go, mark my words, mom.
00:55:18.880 --> 00:55:20.239
I'm not telling you.
00:55:20.480 --> 00:55:22.480
And sure enough, that was my last visit.
00:55:22.559 --> 00:55:28.559
And when I seen her in November, um, they f like they flew to San Francisco, right?
00:55:28.880 --> 00:55:37.599
All the family, because and we drove back to it, but when they flew over there, I remember all my like 20 family members going over there.
00:55:37.840 --> 00:55:43.760
And um, when I was gonna see my mom, the first thing I told my mom, Mom, what did I tell you?
00:55:44.000 --> 00:55:47.280
Didn't I tell you the next time I gave you a hug was gonna be out here?
00:55:47.440 --> 00:55:49.039
She was sobbing, crying me too.
00:55:49.119 --> 00:55:57.280
I was like, uh, you're right, me oh, you did mention to me the next time you see me, I'll go, I I I believed in the eye part that this was gonna happen.
00:55:57.360 --> 00:56:03.199
And when I manifested that and I believed in him, and I still do, like, he made that happen.
00:56:03.280 --> 00:56:07.440
When I told my mom, this is gonna be the last time, don't worry, mom, you don't have to go through this no more.
00:56:07.599 --> 00:56:18.320
You know, and my petition um got granted in November with the exoneration, and that's when I see my mom, October, the finally month I seen her, and I gave her my first hug.
00:56:18.719 --> 00:56:22.000
And I was just like, dude, like, and disbelieve.
00:56:22.079 --> 00:56:26.719
Like, I kept telling my attorney, my several page, all my attorneys pinch me, pinch me.
00:56:26.800 --> 00:56:30.400
This is like a dream, too good to like a dream come true, like I'm dreaming.
00:56:30.639 --> 00:56:33.440
But he goes, Don't, don't, I'm not gonna pinch you no, because this is reality.
00:56:33.599 --> 00:56:40.800
You got your freedom, but and I was like, dude, like sometimes like like I'll be driving somewhere and it just hits me.
00:56:40.880 --> 00:56:41.280
Yeah?
00:56:41.599 --> 00:56:43.679
It hits me like You missed a lot of years old.
00:56:44.000 --> 00:56:44.079
Yeah.
00:56:44.320 --> 00:56:44.880
A lot of years old.
00:56:45.599 --> 00:57:00.239
And um I I remember when I was giving a talk in Alcatraz, and I was out for a couple of couple days, you know, we a week or two, and I gave a talk in front of Orchestra the first time in front of audience, 300 audience, like strangers, right?
00:57:00.400 --> 00:57:01.360
From everywhere.
00:57:01.679 --> 00:57:14.800
And um, they're like, after I shared my story and uh NCIP did the Northern Conference project, it was Q ⁇ A qua questions and answers, and um I remember clearly one of the um when one of the audience goes, you know what?
00:57:14.880 --> 00:57:21.440
If that would have happened to me, they would have taken 25 years out of my life, I would have been mad at the world.
00:57:21.679 --> 00:57:24.559
I'll go, how is it that, how are you coping with this?
00:57:24.719 --> 00:57:25.920
I'll go, you know what?
00:57:26.159 --> 00:57:27.760
I'm a forgiving person.
00:57:28.079 --> 00:57:41.519
I forgive the crooked cop, the DA, the everybody, the judge, because and the false witnesses that lie against me, because if I don't know how to forgive someone, I'm not gonna have that inner peace.
00:57:41.599 --> 00:57:42.559
I'm gonna be miserable.
00:57:42.639 --> 00:57:44.719
I'm gonna be mad, like how you're saying.
00:57:44.880 --> 00:57:47.840
And I remember what he said, he's like, you know what, dude?
00:57:48.239 --> 00:57:51.360
I'll give you so much respect, you got so much resilience.
00:57:51.519 --> 00:57:57.199
I'll go, I I have to be forgiven because I'm not gonna be able to enjoy my freedom, my life.
00:57:57.360 --> 00:58:00.159
But I'll go, plus, you know, there is a higher power.
00:58:00.320 --> 00:58:04.079
They're the ones that they're gonna answer to him anyways, you know how I see it.
00:58:04.159 --> 00:58:06.800
Because I don't judge nobody, but I was like, you know what?
00:58:06.960 --> 00:58:08.239
And he goes, dude, I like that.
00:58:08.320 --> 00:58:11.280
But he goes, You got a lot of resilience, but I still would have been mad.
00:58:11.519 --> 00:58:12.880
You know, I was like, you know what?
00:58:13.679 --> 00:58:15.440
Hey, I'm I'm being honest, bro.
00:58:15.519 --> 00:58:16.239
I would have been mad too.
00:58:16.320 --> 00:58:22.639
You know, yeah, you know, but but as a Christian, I I'm glad that you you're forgiving them, you know what I mean?
00:58:22.800 --> 00:58:25.119
You don't have to hang out with them, you don't have to have dinner with them.
00:58:25.280 --> 00:58:26.159
Yeah, but I forgive you.
00:58:26.239 --> 00:58:28.000
Yeah, I mean you get dealt with, you know what I mean?
00:58:28.239 --> 00:58:28.639
Exactly.
00:58:29.039 --> 00:58:31.760
But what was there did you get blessed?
00:58:32.400 --> 00:58:49.679
Also, yeah, when um when I got out, um they on December of 2023 with um the DA, they found me factual innocence, which means that in the state of California, once you clear your name, that's like absolutely like clear, like I could go get a deal.
00:58:49.920 --> 00:58:52.400
So it wasn't a case drop, you were just found innocent.
00:58:52.639 --> 00:58:53.039
Innocent, yeah.
00:58:53.840 --> 00:58:54.719
Just a difference, yeah.
00:58:54.800 --> 00:59:08.800
And once they found me there, um in the state of California, if you end up um getting found innocent for they pay you$140 a day for a wrongful conviction like mine, and I did 9,000 days, you know.
00:59:08.960 --> 00:59:17.360
So they they gave me all that tax-free, and then end up giving me that month close to like 1.3 around that mile.
00:59:17.519 --> 00:59:18.880
And now that was that.
00:59:19.039 --> 00:59:25.840
Now I got a something else going in the mix at this moment, and you know, and we'll definitely keep that in front, bro.
00:59:26.320 --> 00:59:26.880
Definitely keep that.
00:59:28.079 --> 00:59:34.960
But those those officials, those policemen, did they ever give you a face-to-face apology?
00:59:35.199 --> 00:59:36.400
No, they haven't.
00:59:37.039 --> 00:59:38.719
But they know that you were police, right?
00:59:39.039 --> 00:59:47.199
And that'll meant that mean a lot to me if at least the wrongful police officers will be like, you know what, maybe I'll I apologize.
00:59:47.440 --> 00:59:50.559
To me, that'll be so like you know what?
00:59:50.800 --> 00:59:53.280
It means like you're acknowledging all your wrongdoings.
00:59:53.519 --> 00:59:57.679
Yeah, you know, I uh even if they want to say it was a mistake.
00:59:57.840 --> 00:59:58.000
Yeah.
00:59:59.519 --> 01:00:03.440
But by not saying anything, in my opinion, this is me saying, not you.
01:00:03.599 --> 01:00:07.920
In my opinion, by them not saying it, I knew I I knew I was doing crooked stuff.
01:00:08.000 --> 01:00:08.239
Yeah.
01:00:08.400 --> 01:00:09.119
That's me saying it.
01:00:09.280 --> 01:00:10.159
Ray Corona.
01:00:10.400 --> 01:00:10.960
You know what I mean?
01:00:11.119 --> 01:00:16.800
But if they came up to you and said, Miguel, I just messed up the investigation, then then it's an honest mistake.
01:00:17.119 --> 01:00:18.880
Bad mistake, but honest mistake.
01:00:18.960 --> 01:00:20.239
But that's my opinion, you know?
01:00:20.960 --> 01:00:23.920
But but you know what, Miguel, I thank you for coming on, bro.
01:00:24.000 --> 01:00:27.360
And and and ladies, he's a single man.
01:00:27.519 --> 01:00:29.360
We're gonna keep him in prayer.
01:00:29.519 --> 01:00:34.159
Uh, I always ask my guests, now that you're out, what kind of sports you watch, huh?
01:00:34.320 --> 01:00:34.719
You know what?
01:00:35.119 --> 01:00:36.559
I know you're gonna say boxing homes.
01:00:37.360 --> 01:00:38.320
Yeah, you know what?
01:00:38.400 --> 01:00:41.360
I'm a big fan of the Lakers, I'm a big fan of the Dodgers.
01:00:41.519 --> 01:00:42.000
That's right.
01:00:42.159 --> 01:00:45.679
Um, I love um every kind of sport, football too.
01:00:45.840 --> 01:00:48.800
I like um I want to go to a football team, yeah.
01:00:48.960 --> 01:00:50.400
Okay, so don't say the Raiders.
01:00:50.880 --> 01:00:53.119
Come on, I'm actually a Packer fan.
01:00:53.199 --> 01:00:57.760
Okay, you know, I'm a Packer fan because back in the 90s, like once they left, then there was no Raiders.
01:00:57.840 --> 01:00:59.840
So I jumped into bandwagon since '98.
01:01:00.079 --> 01:01:00.559
Cool, cool.
01:01:00.639 --> 01:01:05.199
But yeah, when Brett Farr was in quarterback, yeah, he was one of the best quarterbacks, too.
01:01:05.360 --> 01:01:13.440
But I love sports, I love to go hiking, I like to go to the beachy beach, I like the ocean, the water, and you'll see, you know.
01:01:13.679 --> 01:01:14.000
You know what?
01:01:14.079 --> 01:01:21.519
If you need Miguel to come out and talk to the kids, I'll be honored to give any presentations and share some kind of knowledge and wisdom.
01:01:21.679 --> 01:01:27.280
Because people, you know, we probably growing up, we're like, we hear from our parents, like, oh, don't do this, this happened.
01:01:27.440 --> 01:01:35.599
But when you hear from someone that's been in those shoes, live that life, it they it's more like they are like we understand each other.
01:01:35.679 --> 01:01:39.679
Like, cause growing up, yeah, you hear from parents, but we're like, okay, you just like whatever.
01:01:39.760 --> 01:01:45.360
But when I never had no mentor, no, no one you could look up to, or someone be like, dude, that happened to him.
01:01:45.519 --> 01:01:50.000
Like, oh shoot, like it makes you like change your mindset, you know.
01:01:50.079 --> 01:02:00.880
And I tell people, like, even their parents, like, if you have loved kids and loved ones, um, try to keep them active by putting them into sports or some kind of activity, spend time with them.
01:02:01.039 --> 01:02:04.000
That way they won't go straight with the wrong crowd or anything.
01:02:04.079 --> 01:02:08.559
That way they could like be staying something focused and try to do good.
01:02:08.719 --> 01:02:18.880
But for those um young kids, do it just, you know, uh, my best advice, I've been in that road, you know, neglected, knowledge, abused, and no one.
01:02:19.280 --> 01:02:20.079
But you know what?
01:02:20.239 --> 01:02:23.440
When you stay active doing something good, listen to your parents.
01:02:23.920 --> 01:02:26.480
Trusting God, you know, trust in God all the time.
01:02:26.719 --> 01:02:30.239
Because once you trust in God, He will open the doors.
01:02:30.400 --> 01:02:32.480
Pray about things, the doors open.
01:02:32.639 --> 01:02:35.840
Because if a miracle could happen to me, it could actually happen to you.
01:02:35.920 --> 01:02:39.360
And I'm speaking it from my own experience.
01:02:39.840 --> 01:02:40.159
Amen.
01:02:40.400 --> 01:02:42.079
With with that, we're gonna close, guys.
01:02:42.159 --> 01:02:43.199
I want to thank you again, Miguel.
01:02:43.360 --> 01:02:43.920
Thank you for coming out.
01:02:45.519 --> 01:02:46.000
Thank you, brother.
01:02:46.079 --> 01:02:50.159
Man, I just thought you hey hey guys, check out his Instagram.
01:02:50.639 --> 01:02:57.599
Again, I'm not playing Cupid, but he's an available man, a godly man, beautiful home.
01:02:57.760 --> 01:03:02.559
So I just want you, hey, go to Third Man in the Ring or Rep Popeye Ray.
01:03:02.719 --> 01:03:04.239
Please share this and subscribe.
01:03:04.480 --> 01:03:05.280
God bless, guys.
01:03:05.519 --> 01:03:06.000
God bless.
00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:21.600
Hey guys, welcome to Third Man in the Ring.
00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:23.120
I'm your host, Popeye Ray.
00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:24.320
You know what, guys?
00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:29.199
You know I don't have script or nothing, but I I really didn't even know how to.
00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:31.359
Let me give you a scenario.
00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:35.920
Who and your kids, you know, mom comes in and says, Who broke that base?
00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:37.600
And you know what?
00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:42.719
You got three, four siblings, brother, sister, like, man, uh, so and so did it.
00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:45.840
And and so-and-so gets in trouble, but he really didn't do it.
00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:47.600
You know what, guys?
00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:55.280
Who's ever been arrested or got a ticket and know you didn't break the law and still got convicted and had to pay a fine?
00:00:55.759 --> 00:01:00.719
Who's ever been arrested and just said, you know what, it wasn't me, and got out a couple weeks?
00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:02.560
You're just like, oh, stomping your feet.
00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:10.560
Miguel Salodio, 25 years in the state penitentiary, wrongfully convicted.
00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:16.319
Today we're gonna hear his testimony, guys, and we're so glad and we thank God that he came out.
00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:20.799
And you know, and I I just want you to give him a warm welcome.
00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:25.439
Miguel Salodio, thank you for thank you for inviting me and honored to be here today.
00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:28.000
I'm blessed to share my testimony.
00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:30.719
I I met Miguel at uh 24 Hour Fitness.
00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:32.560
Obviously, you could tell we work out, eh?
00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:35.200
You know, but but hey, Miguel, let's let's start.
00:01:35.359 --> 00:01:38.159
But uh, you're out now, thank God, you know.
00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:40.079
It's got a beautiful home, guys.
00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:42.480
Single man on top of that, ladies.
00:01:42.719 --> 00:01:46.879
But with that said, Miguel, tell us a little bit about right now what you're at now.
00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:48.319
What are you doing right now?
00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:51.599
At this moment, um, I'm going to college full-time.
00:01:51.680 --> 00:01:54.000
Um, I'm majoring on business management.
00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:59.680
Um, I've been trying to be an entrepreneur, how to like run my own business and get knowledge and wisdom.
00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:04.799
Um, I also have a side business that is called um Royal Express Rides.
00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:07.120
It's a party bus, it's an executive.
00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:08.240
That's my side business.
00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:14.639
I just started it um last month in December, and that's my little side job that I'm trying to do.
00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:20.879
And um on my free time, I just hit the gym, go hiking, and clear my mind and everything, you know, stuff like that.
00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:26.560
So, Miguel, uh tell us tell the fans a little bit about where Miguel started.
00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:28.719
Where were you born, how were you raised, you know?
00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:38.159
Okay, so I was born in Mexico, and um my mom came over here, and I came at the age of four years old.
00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:40.960
And I was raised in West LA.
00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:45.680
I got three older brothers and two older sisters, and I'm the youngest one.
00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:46.800
Oh, okay.
00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:57.439
And um, we were raised in West LA, but then uh my family were like in poverty, like literally poverty, cockroaches and uh and the houses and all that.
00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:00.879
But um if you don't mind me asking, how old are you right now?
00:03:01.120 --> 00:03:03.199
Um 46 years old at this moment.
00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:05.520
Still a young guy, yes, yes, yes.
00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:06.240
Thank you, thank you.
00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:06.719
Amen.
00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:07.919
Well go ahead, brother.
00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:18.000
And um, I guess uh finally my parents started working and uh we moved to Whittier, and uh we were living next in a small, little, a little bigger house.
00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:21.840
It was like a two-bedroom living room, a little more decent than the other one, because the other ones.
00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:22.479
All you huh?
00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:23.039
All you huh?
00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:23.520
Yeah, I think.
00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:24.719
It's what six, no?
00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:25.199
Huh?
00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:26.400
That's six total, no?
00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:28.080
Yeah, six, six of us, yeah.
00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:29.680
Exactly, six of us.
00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:37.759
And uh so it happened to be that um I started going to school and I I wanted to like do something with my life and everything.
00:03:37.840 --> 00:04:00.560
You know, I I was like those cockroaches actually inspired me not to live that poverty life, like to push myself, because dude, I remember when I was like five years old, I wake up like seven, eight o'clock at or eleven o'clock at night, and I was like seven years old, and I wake up hungry, my stomach growling, and I'll go to the refrigerator half empty, and all I there was is this uh can that's called lechetta.
00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:02.719
You know, for that thing is fire.
00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:12.800
I remember I just used to uh turn on the lights of the kitchen, but I'll have to wait because all those cockroaches were just stormy, you know, and I'll be like, dude, I don't want to crush them here in the little crunchy noise, you know.
00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:14.639
Wake all your brothers up, you know.
00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:21.519
So I'll just wait for a minute to for the cockroaches to sleep and get the lechetta, put in my hand, and I was just like, dude, that'll be my my thing.
00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:22.959
So we were like in poverty.
00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:29.839
And um, but anyways, long story short is that those cockroaches motivated me to push myself because I didn't want to live that life.
00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:33.439
And finally, my parents, um, we end up moving to another house in winter.
00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:36.800
My my I was raised by my stepdad and my mom.
00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:38.720
And we got a bigger house.
00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:42.639
My my mom um in Winter, we got like a four-bedroom house, two bath uh.
00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:49.519
I was like, dude, okay, we're we're we're gonna by little.
00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:53.920
And um back in the 90s, um, Microsoft was uh was a thing, you know.
00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:56.000
So I love my the computers.
00:04:56.079 --> 00:04:57.600
I was like, dude, you know what?
00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:00.639
I think this is gonna be like the future computers.
00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:03.519
So I was like, dude, I'm gonna And that's when they were like barely growing.
00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:04.879
Yes, they were barely growing.
00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:06.240
Exactly.
00:05:06.399 --> 00:05:08.720
Microsoft was in style, and I was like, you know what?
00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:09.759
I had like low vision.
00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:23.199
I was like, dude, I'm gonna graduate, go to college, um, work for business management because one day I'm gonna work in an office with a suit and tie and work my corporate So you obviously had your dreams already at that young age, huh?
00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:24.079
Yes, yes.
00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:34.800
Thanks to the cockroaches and the Microsoft guy, I was like, dude, I'm gonna like dress nice and do everything I can to work my corporate life, you know, work up, be my own boss or just be up there.
00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:40.240
And um sure enough, um, I end up um I'm the first one in my family to actually graduate high school.
00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:49.439
Class of 97, you know, so after graduation, I said, you know what, I'm gonna pursue my my little vision, my my what I want to pursue, my goals.
00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:54.000
So I went to college and um I was going to college and I I was a full-time student.
00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:57.040
I was majoring in business management because I'm trying to be an entrepreneur.
00:05:57.199 --> 00:06:00.160
So, so Miguel, you you were focused.
00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:02.160
I mean, Whitney's a tough town, bro.
00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:02.319
Yeah.
00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:03.360
Let's be honest, bro.
00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:03.920
Yes.
00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:06.879
No, no gang stuff, or or you know what I mean?
00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:12.079
Where were you staying focused on studies or were you still doing, you know, you know what?
00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:14.560
Let's be honest, you still do pin the house in the street.
00:06:14.879 --> 00:06:18.959
So what how my how I mentioned is that I was raised by a stepdad, right?
00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:22.160
And my mom, but my mom neglected me, you know.
00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:24.399
She always paid attention to my dad.
00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:31.519
And uh my stepdad used to abuse me, like literally whoop me for no reason, because my name is Miguel, and my dad's name is Miguel.
00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:38.480
So I felt like he had some kind of-brook he had some kind of chip like against me because it was my like I had to sing dad.
00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:43.759
And I understand when children need discipline, okay, discipline, but I didn't do nothing.
00:06:43.839 --> 00:06:56.000
I was like a quiet kid, like growing up, and he used to get the leather belt and just whoop me in so bad that I was like eight to ten years old, my my butt will be so purple I couldn't even sit down, you know.
00:06:56.160 --> 00:07:00.160
And um, you know, that that does a lot mentally.
00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:04.959
Yes, you know, and I'll be like, no, why am I getting why is he doing this?
00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:07.839
And my mom kind of went in, like, hey, what did he do?
00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:09.040
Let me discipline him.
00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:11.920
And you know, I didn't get I didn't get that affection growing up.
00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:15.439
So um my brother used to hang around with the wrong crowd, right?
00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:21.519
And little by little they used to come look for him, and I'd be like, Oh, he's not here, but I used to talk to him as a teenager.
00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:26.800
Me, I like to dance, you know, and you know, I was like 14, 15, I like to drink.
00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:28.000
I didn't do no drugs.
00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:30.079
I didn't I tried marijuana, but I don't like that.
00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:34.639
I was in my team, but I like to drink Bordweisers and like one or two beers and dance.
00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:35.040
Yeah, yeah.
00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:39.279
You know, so this crowd I used to hang around with, they're like, hey, you want to come out?
00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:41.120
Come come stop by, come chill with us.
00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:44.240
We're gonna have like a little kickback, we're gonna throw a little party, a little.
00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:45.759
So I was like, you know what?
00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:48.639
Might as well, because uh myself, like I mentioned, I'm a Twitter.
00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:51.680
I was kind of like like a loner.
00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:54.959
I really didn't have too much friends, which I didn't mind.
00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:56.879
So just wasn't your thing, huh?
00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:59.199
Yeah, you know, new person to the area.
00:07:59.279 --> 00:08:00.560
So I was like, dude, you know what?
00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:06.000
Let me just go go check out the parties, and you know, to me, I don't see it as a crime to go as a teenager.
00:08:06.160 --> 00:08:14.480
When teenagers want to go go party after, you know, and that's what I did, you know, drink beer, socialize with them, and dance.
00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:15.279
I love dancing.
00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:16.879
That's one thing I've been loving.
00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:21.040
Like you hear music, give me like one or two cellas, and you'll see me on the dance.
00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:22.319
Oh yeah, that's me.
00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:24.079
And I was like the floor, okay.
00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:29.279
Yeah, you know, even I had like a regular dancing partner, I'd be like, you want to dance, and we didn't find no one?
00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:37.840
Like, all right, that was my dancing partner, but um little by little I just started like they were giving me the affection that my mom and my stepdad didn't give me.
00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:48.159
You know, I felt like they were giving me something, and and I felt like more the hang hanging around with them, the more affection that, you know, because I was neglected by my mom and my stepdad abused me.
00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:55.840
So And at the moment, I'm just guessing, tell me if I'm wrong, we tend to, when we're not getting it from mom or dad, we tend to go who's giving it to us.
00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:56.480
Exactly.
00:08:56.559 --> 00:08:59.360
You know, as a teenager, we want to be feel loved, you know.
00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:03.440
We don't want to be neglected, accepted, and at least by one of our parents.
00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:09.519
And I my mom didn't give me that, and I was raised by my stepdad, and I wasn't Where was dad at this time?
00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:16.240
My dad, uh my mom, she was living right there, but my mom, what she did is that she deprived me to see him.
00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:31.120
You know, so growing up, like growing up, I started like as I started getting older at 13, 14, I'll kind of meet him because he lived, didn't live too far, but my mom would be like, nah, I don't want you to his name is also Miguel, you know, but he didn't want me to uh get close to him.
00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:40.240
But once I got like like little by little I started like meeting him, and if you met my dad, he's one of the nicest men you could actually meet, you know.
00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:42.320
Is it is is dad still alive?
00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:50.960
No, uh fortunately sad to say, um, when this nightmare began, um he he was only 53 years old and he had an aneurysm, you know.
00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:56.720
So I was in the um Do you think it was partly to this this nightmare that started?
00:09:56.799 --> 00:09:58.639
You know, that I couldn't help it, I know that.
00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:04.559
Exactly, you know, it brought too much stress and everything, and then um he was a kind of like a life support.
00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:11.919
The only way I could communicate with my dad, like because he'll be in bed and I'll hold his hand, and I found out a way to talk to communicate with him.
00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:17.440
So I told him, hey, um one, squeeze my hand is yes, and squeeze my hand twice if it's no.
00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:26.720
So every time I spoke to him because he couldn't talk, I asked him a question, and every time he answers, he's like yes once or you know, twice, and that's the way we're communicating.
00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:34.000
But when this nightmare happened, excuse me, when I got arrested, um, he ended up passing away and I couldn't attend his funeral.
00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:39.440
And that was like one of the worst uh messed up things that somebody could actually go through when you're wrongfully convicted.
00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:41.840
When you're wrongfully convicted, that'd be tomorrow, bro.
00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:44.399
That's adding uh how do they say salt to the wound, eh?
00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:52.159
Yeah, and you know, my dad, like, I remember every time I I'll go with them, like when I was a teenager, like 16, 17 years old, you know.
00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:57.200
I'd be like, Dad, I'm still in high school, like dad, um, could you um could you give me like 50 bucks or something?
00:10:57.279 --> 00:10:58.159
He's like, you know what?
00:10:58.240 --> 00:10:59.360
I got something for you.
00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:00.559
He had gonna, right?
00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:03.039
Well, for every ghana you get, I'll give you a dollar.
00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:05.120
So I'm like, dude, say no more.
00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:05.679
I got you.
00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:06.080
That's right.
00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:13.279
So I started plucking as much as ganas, as white hair as I can, out of his head, and he's like, all right, you got 70, here's 70 bucks.
00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:17.279
So he's like that, and you he could have a horrible day, and he, you know.
00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:19.759
Oh, yes.
00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:28.639
And that's one thing I I could tell people about my dad, like since he's he passed away, that he was one of the generous man, he'll like go that extra mile for you.
00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:29.759
And you know what, Miguel?
00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:37.840
I only know Miguel from weeks, if anything, but just the way you're you're explaining the way your dad was, I see it in you, bro.
00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:38.480
Thank you.
00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:41.200
I got a good positive, good positive.
00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:44.960
Uh when I heard your first your story, there wasn't a hate or anger.
00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:47.679
It was more like this happened and this is the way I'm gonna deal with it.
00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:48.559
So amen, bro.
00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:58.960
But with that said, so you so you get into your teenage days, let's scoot it up to uh you know, let's scoot it up to the day this incident happened.
00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:01.840
Okay, so it was December 6th of 1998.
00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:08.720
I was only 19 years old, and it was a Sunday, so at that time I was a full-time college at Mount San Antonio College at college.
00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:10.159
Taking care of business, taking care of business.
00:12:10.799 --> 00:12:14.720
Yeah, being busy trying to like stay trying to get my AA degree.
00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:21.840
At the same token, I was also working at a warehouse full-time, working like 40 to 55 hours a week.
00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:23.759
So my schedule was booked.
00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:29.519
I work Monday through Saturday and school Monday through Friday, so my only days off was Sunday.
00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:33.519
So at that time I had a girlfriend, and we're already dating for a while.
00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:35.519
Let me interrupt you again, bro.
00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:38.240
This is what you brag about to your kids.
00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:39.279
This is what you brag.
00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:40.639
Look at this man, man.
00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:43.919
Taking care of business that work schedule in itself, you know what I mean?
00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:46.639
This is what you brag about, and then for this to happen, man.
00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:48.320
Ah, I'm sorry, man.
00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:48.879
Go ahead, bro.
00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:51.120
Yes, and um, it was a Sunday at the time.
00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:52.559
I was had a girlfriend.
00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:55.440
Um, I lived in Whitia and she lived in Balmood Park.
00:12:55.519 --> 00:13:02.000
And uh, you know, we we were dating, and it was a Sunday, so to keep the relationship like, because she was also a college student.
00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:08.559
I was so we had busy schedules, so not to neglect one another, um, she's like, hey babe, um, let's go go to the theaters.
00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:09.279
You know, it's a Sunday.
00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:10.639
I was like, yeah, let's do this.
00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:13.759
So she came to my house and her mom's station wagon.
00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:24.399
It was a great station wagon, you know, and she she got there and um we my mom had made some tosole, and she, my mom, you know, Mexican dishes, there's bomb.
00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:30.720
So um I remember um she always comes to my house and she goes, Hey, um, you guys always eat like this?
00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:31.679
I go, what do you mean?
00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:33.679
He goes, You guys always eat together as a family?
00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:34.879
I go, yeah, why?
00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:39.200
He goes, dude, I admire that a lot because my family, we don't we don't do stuff like that.
00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:40.720
I go, yeah, we were waiting for you.
00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:48.000
We're all sitting in the table waiting for her to come and eat with us, you know, because we're the type that we're not gonna leave, we're not gonna eat without you.
00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:49.360
We're gonna we're gonna eat together.
00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:51.600
You're that lady very family oriented.
00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:57.360
Yes, you know, it's like if I'm gonna eat, I can't like be eating and you right there, that's like being rude.
00:13:57.440 --> 00:13:58.879
I'll be like, I'm gonna invite you.
00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:07.519
So, anyways, we were eating that day and um Posoli and she's making checking um to go to Wiggerville Cinemas uh uh theater in Uptown Wiggily.
00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:11.519
So she makes calls and it's already kind of like 7:30.
00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:14.080
She goes, Hey babe, um, we're gonna go watch the movie Cycle.
00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:15.759
Starts at um 7.45.
00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:17.200
Hurry up, get dressed, so we go head out.
00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:17.840
Like, oh shoot.
00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:19.200
So I got dressed real quick.
00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:28.639
And um, we got in her mom's um station wagon, and it was just a couple minutes down the street from my house, and um, I ended up taking um three Budweisers, you know, to make the movie interesting.
00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:35.519
You know, it's not like nowadays where you could just buy your beer and her so me, I snuck in three beers, she um paid for the tickets.
00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:46.399
We're in there watching, we got there like around 8, 8:15, and uh we're watching the movie, but 45 minutes into this, I'm drinking my beers, and this movie's just like so boring.
00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:49.200
I'm watching it's like about a woman being paranoid.
00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:51.279
I was like, Well, where's that action?
00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:55.200
You know, even with the with the beers, they weren't doing no trust with this movie.
00:14:55.360 --> 00:14:58.799
So I told her, hey, this movie's boring, like let's let's let's leave, you know.
00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:00.320
I was like, I'm not even enjoying it.
00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:03.039
She goes, Well, since I paid um, I'm gonna get my refund.
00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:04.399
I was like, sure, let's go.
00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:13.200
So we walked out of the theater, and it was like, you know, it was December, and we talked to the manager, and she she goes, excuse me, um, like his name was John Murray, excuse me.
00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:14.639
Um, we want to get our money back.
00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:16.159
He goes, Well, two things.
00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:23.120
First of all, you guys were already watching the movie for a while, but you know, but yet we I've been having a lot of complaints about that movie.
00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:25.919
But what I could do is I could give you two free step tickets.
00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:28.639
And I at that time, I was like, What is step tickets?
00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:29.440
I don't know what that is.
00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:30.960
He goes, Well, you know what?
00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:33.360
It's to watch two movies whenever you want.
00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:35.919
So I was like, dude, that's that's a bargaining deal.
00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:39.840
So we took that offer and we're about to go cruise with her boulevard, right?
00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:44.000
But she goes, hey, uh, let's go get seconds, we'll go get some more pozole.
00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:45.600
And she's driving off passenger.
00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:46.320
I was like, you know what?
00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:47.600
Sounds like a good idea.
00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:55.039
We got to my house at around 10 o'clock, and um, we got to my house, but sad to say that there was no more pozole, you know.
00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:59.279
When we cherry thing, there was a big old oil like that, like a big old thing, and it was gone.
00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:06.559
So my mom comes out of the room and she's like, hey, um, everyone's having a gathering at your mom's house, uh, your sister's house in Pico Rivera.
00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:07.440
You guys want to go?
00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:09.360
And I told my girlfriend, hey, you want to go?
00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:11.440
She goes, Yeah, there's nothing else until let's go.
00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:12.240
It's a Sunday.
00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:15.200
So we got there from we left my house like around 10:15.
00:16:15.279 --> 00:16:17.519
It's just in Pico Rivera, next City Over.
00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:19.279
We got there like around 10:30.
00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:21.440
And um, we stood there from 10:30.
00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:24.000
I said my highs to everybody, to the family.
00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:33.600
I stood there until midnight, and I happened to be that during that time there was a murder that happened at 11 o'clock in Winter, which I had no idea what's going on.
00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:38.240
But once 12 o'clock hit, I was told my girlfriend, like, hey, it's getting kind of late.
00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:42.080
I want to kind of go home because I got a busy schedule full plate tomorrow.
00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:46.080
You know, I go to school, I I gotta wake up super early to get my day started.
00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:48.559
So I said my, she's like, all right, I'll drop you off.
00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:52.240
And I said my goodbyes to everybody, and she dropped me off, you know.
00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:55.919
And back then, back in the 90s, it was a pagers, you know, the beaver area.
00:16:56.080 --> 00:17:00.240
So I told her, hey, uh, because I was concerned about her driving, I'll go, you know what?
00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:02.240
Um page me as soon as you get home.
00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:03.759
So she she's like, sure.
00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:06.559
So she takes off in like not even 15 minutes.
00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:08.720
I get a page and I call her up.
00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:10.000
Hey, did you get make it home?
00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:10.720
She goes, Yeah.
00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:12.960
Well, I'm just making sure you got home safe.
00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:14.079
I was just concerned.
00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:17.359
And I thought I was gonna just say, okay, I love you, good night.
00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:22.720
But I guess it was one of those conversations, like, no, you we stood up until 2 o'clock in the morning talking.
00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:25.440
And it was one of those conversations, like, no, you hang up first.
00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:26.240
No, you hang up.
00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:27.279
So I was like, you know what?
00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:28.480
Let's hang up with the same.
00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:28.880
Yeah.
00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:31.119
So I was like, you know what, let's hang up at the same time.
00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:38.640
So we did, and um, that was the what I did that Sunday, and like three days later, um, I'm getting that my day started.
00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:43.200
It's Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays were like my busiest days with college and work.
00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:44.640
And it was a Wednesday morning.
00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:49.839
I woke up, I was already awake by seven, you know, already getting ready, and I hear a knock at the door.
00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:51.759
I'm like, what the hell?
00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:58.160
And I look out my window and I could see a bunch of cop sherries right there, like surrounding my house.
00:17:58.319 --> 00:17:59.359
What the helicopter?
00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:01.359
I'm like, what the heck is going on here?
00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:04.960
So I opened the door and they're already pointing the guns.
00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:06.400
Hey, uh, what's your name?
00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:08.240
I'll go, my name is Because Lawyer.
00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:11.039
Oh, we got a search warrant for uh and everything.
00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:11.839
I'm like, what the hell?
00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:13.680
And they started reading my Miranda rights.
00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:17.680
You got the right to remain signing, everything you say will be used against the court of law.
00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:19.279
You got the right for an attorney.
00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:20.720
I was like, dude, what the hell?
00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:23.440
And they handcuffed me and they took me to the police station.
00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:25.200
I was like, nope, nobody was home with you?
00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:32.559
Yeah, there was family kind of right there at the house, and they're like, my mom was there, and she's all like, I was like, what the heck is going on?
00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:41.759
And you know, but they rushed me to the um police station, and I was like, I don't know what's going on, but that they read me my Miranda rights, and I was like, you know what?
00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:44.799
I don't need no attorney because I don't know what's going on.
00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:47.920
I'm gonna share the story, and the same story I just shared with you.
00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:49.039
I go, This is what I did.
00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:50.240
I did with my girlfriend.
00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:52.319
You know, I was with her, I was in a whole different situation.
00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:55.039
I don't know what at that time, still I didn't know what's going on.
00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:59.440
But my girlfriend ends up going to the police station, and they're like, Who are you?
00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:01.839
Because she's like, Hey, how come you guys arrest my boyfriend?
00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:03.119
I was like, Well, who are you?
00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:04.559
Well, that he's my boyfriend.
00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:08.640
So they I was like, Well, come here, and they end up on the detective put an audio tape.
00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:10.640
Well, so what you guys do on Sunday?
00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:14.319
And they recorded, and she said the same thing with the theaters.
00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:16.720
This is it, whatever you guys accusing my boyfriend.
00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:18.400
He had no involvement, you know.
00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:23.519
I could testify, whatever, but we uh he we didn't do nothing, so I'm here to to clarify.
00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:26.880
And and she said the same story that I said the same story.
00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:30.000
And and and and at this time, Miguel, try to think back.
00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:32.000
You're thinking, ah, this is just gonna go well, you know.
00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:32.720
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:37.440
You know, so sure enough, um you're gonna laugh about maybe tomorrow, you know.
00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:45.440
Yeah, so they raped my house and everything, they didn't find no weapons, and I guess it was a drive-by shooting that killed an innocent bystander.
00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:49.839
And I guess six witnesses seen that and they showed a photo lineup, a photo array.
00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:51.680
It's um six pictures, you know.
00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:53.119
Um explain that to them.
00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:57.920
It's six pictures of six different um could possibly be suspects in the picture.
00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:06.640
And I was in picture number four, and they showed uh to the six witnesses of the photo array which I'm in, they showed each one of them.
00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:09.200
Each one of them did not identify me.
00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:12.799
I did not know this until later down the line, until 2021.
00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:17.279
And anyways, they end up selecting someone else in photo number two, you know.
00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:22.880
Anyways, um, the cop they didn't have do you know who fo did you ever see photo number two?
00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:26.319
No, no, I didn't even know that they ended up picking someone else.
00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:31.279
I didn't even I I didn't even know that they ended up showing up a photo lineup on me at that time.
00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:37.440
I just knew like, okay, I was just being questioned, and I'm sitting in the sitting in the holding tank, like, okay, what's gonna happen?
00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:46.799
And finally, after 72 hours, if they have nothing against you, no, no evidence against in your house or against you, they have to release you within 72 hours.
00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:50.480
So the cop goes, you know, um, his name is um Dan McEldery.
00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:54.480
You know, he goes, he was the one investigating the homicide from Pico Rivera Sherry's.
00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:57.519
He goes, Miguel, I know you had nothing to do with it.
00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:58.720
Here's my card.
00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:00.079
Go find out who did it.
00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:03.119
Because if you don't find out, I'm gonna come after you whether you did it or not.
00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:06.400
And I was like, he already framed me from right that spit second.
00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:08.640
I was like, first of all, I was like, what the heck?
00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:10.319
What like I like, dude.
00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:12.640
First of all, I have no knowledge what's going on.
00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:14.720
Second of all, that's not my job.
00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:15.599
That's your job.
00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:16.559
Like to go do it.
00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:19.680
Like, why are you gonna try to put me in a predicament like that?
00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:21.359
But I had no idea what's going on.
00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:26.559
So I was like, I took his car and I was like, my mind, like, dude, you gotta do that doing the investigation.
00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:42.240
So when I get out the police station from Pico Rivera, there's the media right there recording me and meeting newspaper, and they humiliated me with my mugshot in the news in the Wheeler Daily newspaper saying possibly suspect released from this homicide.
00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:43.759
Could you just imagine?
00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:49.839
And and and let's say the reason they're blowing up this homicide is because it was an innocent victim, right?
00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:54.960
Exactly, you know, and I'm not knowing what's going on, and they're portraying me.
00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:59.759
Imagine portraying like your mugshot, anybody, someone you know, your loved one, and just say.
00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:04.240
Possibly suspect for you from your community of release from the desk.
00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:14.240
And like how I felt like, dude, with my face up there, I was already humiliated by the newspaper, putting myself like I'm some kind of suspect, some kind of killer, whatever they're trying to portray me.
00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:16.640
I'm like, dude, I don't know why you guys are doing this.
00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:21.759
Long story short, um, ten days later, I didn't end up calling this the detective.
00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:25.359
No, because I have no, I have no knowledge of what's going on.
00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:26.240
I can't assist.
00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:27.519
I can't, there's nothing I could do.
00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:30.400
Between these 10 days, did you seek an attorney?
00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:31.359
Um, no.
00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:44.880
So um what happened was that um when I got out, um, it was a Friday, because it they won't even help me, but and I told my girlfriend, hey, let's go to um Upton Way, let's go to Witter Village Cinemas, let's go retrieve that uh uh the surveillance tape.
00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:50.000
We need that to to show credibility that what I've been we've been saying that's the truth.
00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:53.359
So we um she goes, you know what, babe, um let's do it on Sunday.
00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:54.480
So I was like, alright.
00:22:54.640 --> 00:23:06.079
So um she picks me up, we go on her mom's station wagon again, and we go to up um Witterbridge Cinemas and we talk to John Murray, excuse me, um, we need a surveillance tape, and he's like, What's for?
00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:12.400
And I goes, for this is important, and I explained so it's regarding a murder that's trying to accuse me of something I didn't do.
00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:14.000
You know, he goes, you know what?
00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:15.920
I have good news and bad news.
00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:20.480
The bad news is that the the audio tape is which is back then VHS.
00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:26.559
Because the audio, the VHS rewinds every 72 hours, and it's already been a week.
00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:30.960
Yeah, he goes, but the good news is that I do remember you guys.
00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:34.400
I remember your girlfriend with the long hair, and what I could do.
00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:35.599
That's right, he's a witness.
00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:39.039
Yeah, he goes, what I could do is like you guys got your step tickets.
00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:39.680
I go, yeah.
00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:42.960
My girlfriend got the two step tickets and handed to him.
00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:46.319
He goes, These are the tickets you gave us to come watch out because we didn't like the movie.
00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:48.960
He goes, I do remember you guys complaining about the movie.
00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:57.920
Here's my and he got the step tickets, and behind the ticket, he goes, Here's my name, here's my home office and your um my cell phone.
00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:01.759
Oh no, my home, my work office and my home office from the theater.
00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:03.839
He goes, How some your attorney call me?
00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:05.039
I'm like, all right, cool.
00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:07.359
And um at that time, I was like, okay.
00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:20.799
So we we left, and 10 days later, um the detective calls my house and talks to one of my relatives and then tells um one of my brothers, one of my relatives says, Tell your brother that I'm coming after him for not calling him.
00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:26.799
So he already made a threat because I'm not calling or doing none of none of his dirty work because I have no knowledge, you know.
00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:34.000
So then afterwards, um sure enough, um, two months, uh, three months later, I guess, two months later to this investigation.
00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:40.319
Well, a month later, they showed a photo lineup again to the six witnesses because you know how it came out in the newspaper.
00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:47.519
So they showed a photo lineup, and four of them still saying it's not me, but two of them decided to change their mind.
00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:54.640
One of them um he was uh ended up picking me because he was being coerced by the cops because he's a pedophile.
00:24:54.799 --> 00:25:05.680
He ended up um saying that it was me because and then the other person had another felony, and then he was she was working with the cop, like trying to because she had a felony and she was being coerced.
00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:13.839
And um, long story short, um they showed us a six-pack, and the female um she ended up circling my picture.
00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:17.359
I was in a different picture, but I'm gonna call what she says.
00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:20.000
I'll go it's 75% is him.
00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:26.880
Now I'm gonna call what she says, but the actual suspect has big ears and mustache, you know.
00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:28.799
At that time, you can see my picture.
00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:32.960
I couldn't even grow no mustache, like on Tfas, I couldn't even get no peach bus.
00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:36.960
Yeah, and I don't can't even grow beard still to this day.
00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:39.279
I could barely grow anything, you know.
00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:43.359
So she still had doubt, but she was being coerced by the cops.
00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:56.720
So, due to those allegations right there, three months later, March 25th of 1999, three months after I was out, they come back again and they re-arrested me, and I was like, Well, I I'm gonna beat this.
00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:59.440
I have no knowledge, but that was my mindset.
00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:02.000
Like, I'm I didn't do nothing, I'm innocent.
00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:13.279
And so they they kept me, they're re-arresting me March 25th, and that's when my my my life changed, you know, that my life was just a nightmare from that moment around.
00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:18.319
And during those three months, you pretty much said it wasn't me.
00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:24.960
I got the ticket stubbed, I got the the theater supervisor um uh manager saying I was there.
00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:27.680
Everything was like all your ducks were in line, I think.
00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:30.640
So you thought nothing of it, you know.
00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:33.200
But so they come back and arrest you.
00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:35.359
Yeah, they they send you how old are you mind?
00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:44.880
I was I was still night, I was 19 years old, you know, and I'm county jail, and I'm I don't know nothing, I'm skinny little guy.
00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:49.200
Let let because I know some of the fans are were you a gang member?
00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:52.079
I was I was socialize with the wrong crowd, yes.
00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:57.519
Okay, because some of us haters, some of those haters are gonna come out while he was a gang member.
00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:58.720
But you know what?
00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:01.039
Not every gang member is an active gang member.
00:27:01.119 --> 00:27:06.640
And you and you know what active is coming in prison, you know what an active is and what somebody just being a gang member.
00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:13.599
So the as far as the cops, obviously, obviously they got everything that they could work off of.
00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:15.119
Yes, you know what I mean?
00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:20.720
Uh I know a few stories of wrongfully convicted people, you know, because I knew of the crime, you know.
00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:25.119
Whether you feel I should have said something or not, that's a whole nother thing.
00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:28.079
So, you're sitting in the county jail.
00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:30.400
Are you still thinking you're gonna beat this?
00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:34.079
Yes, in my mind, I was like, I there's no way I'm gonna get convicted.
00:27:34.319 --> 00:27:36.799
I got this, you know, I got my aliba, I got my girlfriend.
00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:37.839
No attorney yet?
00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:41.200
Uh once I got arrested, uh I did get an attorney.
00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:45.599
I was like, okay, so I ended up um getting this, and my family scraped up some money.
00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:48.960
This attorney, um, his name was Edwards Gedda.
00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:52.400
And um, we hired him, he wanted$30,000.
00:27:53.279 --> 00:27:57.200
And the 90s, and you know, we're pretty maintaining that's a whole lot of money.
00:27:57.359 --> 00:27:58.640
It's like 80,000 now.
00:27:58.880 --> 00:28:12.480
Yes, and not knowing at that time I didn't do too much research about him, you know, and um he was uh not knowing that he was an ex-sergeant from the rampart division, not knowing, you know.
00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:23.200
So me, I ended up getting him and I'm explaining to him, like, hey, I didn't do this, you know, here my girlfriend could, you know, could that's my alibi.
00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:25.039
And she shared the same thing to him to him.
00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:33.839
And then, anyways, long story short, um, when it was time for trial, um, you know, it took me a whole year to find for my trial to get.
00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:43.039
But at the beginning, I was like, you know, she got I was telling my child gets the step tickets, go interview that manager, go do investigate these witnesses.
00:28:43.200 --> 00:28:44.880
I didn't do nothing.
00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:52.799
You know, when we took the stand, like, I'm always gonna share something disgusting with this man, attorney Edward Skella, did to me.
00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:55.279
So we're at trial a year later, right?
00:28:55.440 --> 00:29:03.279
I'm in my suit, I'm sitting in the chair, you know, the the judge there, the 12 jurors is there, my life is on the line.
00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:05.359
Or you knew the victim's family there?
00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:12.240
Yes, the daughter was there, you know, and keep in mind that um I'm in trying, the DA is a female.
00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:14.880
You know, she's starting her career and everything.
00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:21.839
And my trial attorney, Edward Skelas, has the decency to tell me, come right here to my face.
00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:24.079
We're in trial, you know?
00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:28.799
And he tells me, hey, Miguel, I'm gonna fuck the DA.
00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:30.319
I'm like, what?
00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:32.079
Like, you fucking kidding me?
00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:33.920
Like, dude, what the heck are you talking about?
00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:35.519
You know, I'm like in the line.
00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:42.640
Yeah, my life is in the line, and keep in mind, I'm like, I was just so disgusted, like you're not focused, like, dude, you're not caring about me.
00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:51.279
You know, so I believe that that's why he just like wasn't doing no investigation to sleep with the DA to have his little fun, but get his points with her.
00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:53.599
Yeah, and it's the win for her, obviously.
00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:55.839
Exactly, because she's trying to build a career.
00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:59.920
And and and let's be honest, not to change the subject.
00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:01.680
District attorneys are politicians.
00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:02.559
Big time, yes.
00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:03.519
They're politicians.
00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:08.319
The more convictions they get, they'll either get rehired or move up to a higher position.
00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:19.680
Your ex-member because I just that's why it's you know, I I've been convicted of three felonies myself, and it amazed me that they talk about you, the DA, like if they were with you on the crime.
00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:20.480
You know what I mean?
00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:22.000
Like, yeah, you know what I mean?
00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:36.079
And and and later on I found out they're politicians, and any every conviction they get, it's just a point on their sleeve, you know, but and you got it right on the money because my DA, she's building her career, she don't care whether you're guilty or not.
00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:47.119
That's right, you know, and it happened to be that she ended up becoming a judge, you know, because whether you because convictions like mine, you know, whether you're innocent or guilty, she just wanted convictions to build her career, like you're saying.
00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:57.119
And the sad part about it, Miguel, is sometimes they can know, but it just goes to show on their side that's how good of a disagree I can convict somebody that isn't guilty.
00:30:57.359 --> 00:30:57.759
Exactly.
00:30:58.240 --> 00:30:59.440
Sad and scary.
00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:00.160
Yeah.
00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:02.079
So so you're in trial.
00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:02.720
Yeah.
00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:05.119
What is the victim's daughter doing?
00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:06.640
Is she mad dogging you?
00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:07.680
She's just looking at it.
00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:19.519
She's just looking and she's hearing all the evidence, you know, and um keep in mind, you know, that feeling like just being in there and having all these people thinking that you're some kind of killer.
00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:24.720
Yeah, and as soon as you're like, people are gonna go, well, why is he on the hot seat?
00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:25.680
Why is he in the chair?
00:31:25.759 --> 00:31:30.079
Like, why are they it goes, it I go, and I'm like, dude, I didn't do this.
00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:33.599
And I'm trying to be like, sh say, like, tell the DA, I have no knowledge of this.
00:31:33.839 --> 00:31:35.599
I didn't do this, you know, I'm innocent.
00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:42.559
And keep in mind, I'm six months into my uh my journey of this rank of conviction, I believe in August of '99.
00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:51.599
I remember going to court, Norwalk court, and um the DA tells the judge, Your Honor, we're gonna drop the death penalty on Miguel Salorio, and we find him convicted.
00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:53.839
You were fighting the death pillar?
00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:54.720
Yes, not knowing.
00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:55.440
Oh my god.
00:31:55.759 --> 00:32:02.880
And when she said that and goes, and we we convict Miguel Salario, Your Honor, we're gonna give him life without the possibility of pro.
00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:15.200
And I still remember that feeling like, dude, the right back to from the county bus to the uh to the county jail was like, they want to execute, they want to execute and kill an innocent person.
00:32:15.599 --> 00:32:20.720
And that's when I was like, dude, well, I gotta, and I was uh telling my attorney could do this, do that.
00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:22.319
Now they're being now serious.
00:32:22.400 --> 00:32:29.119
Yeah, I'm damn playing around, like, dude, they're coming out swinging and him below the bell and everything playing dirty with me, you know.
00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:30.880
And I like, dude, I have no knowledge.
00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:35.359
Just imagine knowing that I could have got executed, you know?
00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:45.519
So they um I took it a trial, my girlfriend took the stand, and uh unfortunately the audio tape, when she took the stand, she was telling the jury, I was my boyfriend.
00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:58.880
I was here this, this, and that, you know, and keep I but yet uh when the the cop, the detective, um Dak Dan McIndare took the stand, they're like, no, his girlfriend just covering up for him and everything.
00:32:59.039 --> 00:33:18.880
But yet he withheld this, the audio tape when they first recorded, when the she went to the police station, she withheld that, he withheld that out audio tape, and there's a case called Brady versus Marinette, where which is this case is whether it's punishable or innocent to the defendant, should always be provided to the jury and everybody so they could know the facts.
00:33:19.039 --> 00:33:27.200
But unfortunately, since that audio tape was already innocent, like proving my innocence, they didn't want to, they didn't want to um hold it.
00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:31.200
So that was prosecution and police misconduct right there and there.
00:33:31.359 --> 00:33:37.200
So when my girlfriend took the stand, they chewed the the jury believed the cop over my girlfriend.
00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:40.799
You know, and just made her sound like she's just covering for you, period.
00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:43.440
Yeah, nothing else, just she's just covering for him, you know.
00:33:43.680 --> 00:33:49.680
Yeah, and my girlfriend told me from the very day when this and when I got rearrested the second time, she goes, you know what, Miguel?
00:33:49.839 --> 00:33:52.000
You know, she's a joke, she's a Christian woman.
00:33:52.160 --> 00:33:53.839
She's like, you know what, Miguel?
00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:58.480
If I wouldn't have been with you that night of the murder, I probably would have had that or left you.
00:33:58.559 --> 00:34:04.079
But since I know for a fact that you were with me, we're gonna fight this until we get judged, until we beat this.
00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:12.559
You know, and she can't she kept the word, you know, and sure enough, when she took the stand, my sister said they destroyed her credibility and everything.
00:34:12.800 --> 00:34:18.960
Long story short is that um when the they finally the verdict came, there was um three days of deliberation.
00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:22.559
Um on the third day, one of the jurors didn't want to participate.
00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:25.280
And they go, like, no, I don't want to participate.
00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:31.760
I think that jury actually wanted to find me not guilty, but they asked them, Well, why you don't want to participate?
00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:38.320
He goes, I got my reasons, and they dismissed it, and they got a new jury, and on the third day they just found me guilty.
00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:46.800
And they're like, well, they've got a verdict, and we're they're like, the deer goes, Well, Judge, we gotta take the jury finding a verdict, and I'm right there sitting down.
00:34:46.880 --> 00:34:48.800
He goes, We What did you think at that moment?
00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:50.320
I was like, I I'm gonna beat it.
00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:52.559
Like, uh, I'm interested, like, dude, you know.
00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:55.440
Oh, and they called John Murray too to the stand.
00:34:55.599 --> 00:35:00.800
We called him, but you know, keep in mind it's already been a whole year since the the incident.
00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:06.639
So when he took the stand, John Murray goes, Well, um, no one came to interview me.
00:35:06.800 --> 00:35:10.559
No one came to ask me about this case, and my mind's dirty.
00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:11.199
I don't know much.
00:35:11.280 --> 00:35:15.679
I'll go, Yeah, those stealth tickets, that is my name, my phone number, but no one interviewed me.
00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:34.320
So my attorney fell to interview him, and when he took the stand, it's like it's like when someone trying to ask you questions about a year, oh, you remember the relationship or something you did, or something that happened, you went to this, go to uh Chick-fil-A a year ago with so-and-so, like, well, dude, that's been a long time, and I'll you're kind of blurred, so that's exactly what happened.
00:35:34.400 --> 00:35:37.199
So that was that was his information wasn't too solid.
00:35:37.440 --> 00:35:38.079
I don't know, Miguel.
00:35:38.159 --> 00:35:39.280
I gotta speak on that.
00:35:39.360 --> 00:35:41.199
If he wrote his name down, he knew.
00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:42.400
Yeah, exactly.
00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:42.880
You know?
00:35:43.039 --> 00:35:43.519
He knew.
00:35:43.679 --> 00:35:44.239
Yeah.
00:35:44.400 --> 00:35:51.920
And uh when the jury um came back and they're like, we the jury finally finding Miguel guilty in the first degree.
00:35:52.239 --> 00:35:55.440
I was like blown away, like, dude, my heart sank.
00:35:55.519 --> 00:36:02.719
And I as soon as they like went like that, I looked at the DA, I was like, I'm innocent, I'm innocent, like you it just can't be.
00:36:02.960 --> 00:36:12.000
And she just looked at me evilly and she just winked at me like, I got you, you know, like you're making a mistake, you know, you're making a mistake, I didn't do nothing, you know.
00:36:12.239 --> 00:36:17.679
And I was just like, dude, I was trying to like, and my life just changed from that moment on.
00:36:17.840 --> 00:36:30.400
I was like, dude, I was just like dude, only like 19 years old, life without the possibility, which means it's the second worst sentence a human being could get in the state of California or any country.
00:36:30.480 --> 00:36:33.760
It means that I don't even have a chance to go to war.
00:36:34.239 --> 00:36:41.920
Not even a chance for our life, nothing to even like you know, to to get a chance to hit society means I'm gonna die in prison.
00:36:42.159 --> 00:36:49.679
Yeah, because I think in your your era, I'm before you, they were giving uh indefinite deaths, and that's what you have.
00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:50.559
Like definitely.
00:36:50.719 --> 00:36:51.039
Yeah, yeah.
00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:52.960
You're not don't even think about going to war.
00:36:53.119 --> 00:36:55.840
I don't care how good you do in prison, just you're there, bro.
00:36:55.920 --> 00:36:57.440
You're gonna die in there, you know.
00:36:57.679 --> 00:36:59.599
You know, and that's exactly it.
00:36:59.760 --> 00:37:06.239
So throughout my journey, I like I like too, like So, real quick, Miguel, that ride back to the county.
00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:09.360
It was one of the saddest moments of my life.
00:37:09.519 --> 00:37:13.760
Like, dude, like, you know, uh depriving me from my freedom, you know.
00:37:14.079 --> 00:37:14.960
Hopelessness, you know.
00:37:15.119 --> 00:37:18.079
Yeah, I was like, did God ever come in your mind?
00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:23.760
Yes, I I first started when God came in my life was in 2018.
00:37:24.239 --> 00:37:28.079
You know, 18, I say about 18, 19 years into my journey.
00:37:28.239 --> 00:37:30.800
You know, at first I was Is that what you call it a journey?
00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:31.840
Yeah, uh nightmare.
00:37:33.280 --> 00:37:39.599
When yeah, when I started with this nightmare, like there wasn't I'll pick up the pen from the beginning of this nightmare.
00:37:39.679 --> 00:37:42.800
I'll pick up the pen, write attorney, hey, help me, help me.
00:37:42.880 --> 00:37:46.559
You know, I knew So you were always doing, you were always writing attorneys?
00:37:46.719 --> 00:37:47.360
Oh everything.
00:37:47.440 --> 00:37:51.920
I even um back then didn't have social media like they do now, like Instagram, Facebook.
00:37:52.159 --> 00:37:57.280
Back then they had like pr like websites and like to kind of like dating websites.
00:37:57.679 --> 00:38:14.960
But um in 2004, um I was with my my girl, but I told her, I'm gonna throw this website not for dating, but to help get attorneys to read the articles we had on Instagram, and she like go for do it, you know, and no reluctant, nothing, no, no, no, no attorneys out there.
00:38:15.199 --> 00:38:23.519
I paid like$70 just for one year so I could get attention and I put my case, facts, like you know, it's not me, and this and that.
00:38:23.679 --> 00:38:31.920
I even told them the only even at trial I was telling them the only reason why you guys are uh picked me out on the six six pack, because those two witnesses took the stand saying it was me.
00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:35.119
I go, You guys only pick me up because you guys see my picture in the newspaper.
00:38:35.280 --> 00:38:37.920
You guys were not, you guys never like that's the reason why.
00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:40.639
So you got to speak it or not?
00:38:40.719 --> 00:38:43.039
No, I I didn't I didn't take the stand, you know.
00:38:43.119 --> 00:38:44.719
I didn't take the stand or nothing, you know.
00:38:46.639 --> 00:38:51.360
Yeah, my vibe my attorney goes, I advise you not to take the stand just whatever happened to that fool.
00:38:51.679 --> 00:39:01.039
I think he's still um practicing law, you know, but I do want to tell him that dude, I've been telling you that I was innocent and I still I'm gonna tell him this it's messed up that during my trial.
00:39:01.280 --> 00:39:02.400
Can you sue his ass?
00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:03.920
Uh I'm I'm not sure.
00:39:04.079 --> 00:39:05.199
I'm not I've been doing that.
00:39:05.280 --> 00:39:06.079
At least stock them up.
00:39:06.239 --> 00:39:06.559
Yeah, yeah.
00:39:06.800 --> 00:39:08.719
At least at least chin check them, man.
00:39:08.880 --> 00:39:11.039
Yeah, just don't don't get his services, man.
00:39:11.360 --> 00:39:12.480
Yeah, yeah, bro.
00:39:12.719 --> 00:39:20.880
You know, that's you know, lose your money, but um I'll with that Miguel going through prison is no joke.
00:39:21.280 --> 00:39:23.360
You're considered a Southsider, obviously.
00:39:24.159 --> 00:39:33.360
So that means when you know, a lot of people say, well, you can't do your time, you know, by yourself, but I personally know you could stay clean if you want to.
00:39:33.760 --> 00:39:37.840
But if there's a riot kicks off, you're you're required to step up.
00:39:38.000 --> 00:39:38.239
Yeah.
00:39:38.480 --> 00:39:40.480
So that in itself can get you in trouble.
00:39:40.800 --> 00:39:43.119
That in itself can get you more time.
00:39:43.599 --> 00:39:47.840
But you got, you know, let's be honest, you got all the time in the world.
00:39:48.320 --> 00:39:48.559
Yeah.
00:39:48.719 --> 00:39:54.400
How was your prison stay to keep you motivated to keep trying to get out?
00:39:54.559 --> 00:39:58.559
You know, the the the thing that motivated me was my my family.
00:39:58.639 --> 00:40:03.920
You know, they were so believing in me, supportive, and they're every step of the way.
00:40:04.159 --> 00:40:08.639
And that's what inspired me to stay focused and try not to lose hope.
00:40:08.800 --> 00:40:14.000
You know, but I there had to be some days where Yeah, at one point I gotta die in here.
00:40:14.320 --> 00:40:16.000
At one point I did lose hope.
00:40:16.159 --> 00:40:22.559
You know, excuse me, in 2015 I was losing hope because um I wrote this attorney, Ellen Eggers, in 2011.
00:40:23.920 --> 00:40:28.400
Yeah, in 2011 I wrote her because um I seen this case about Frankie Carrillo.
00:40:28.480 --> 00:40:31.440
It was a drive-by shooting that killed the he was only 17 that killed this person.
00:40:33.519 --> 00:40:36.880
No, no, no, it's simple that I heard about that exactly.
00:40:37.119 --> 00:40:42.480
And it was this attorney um had ex beat this case, exonerated uh innocence too.
00:40:42.559 --> 00:40:44.960
And I beat my case, please help me, please help me.
00:40:45.119 --> 00:40:47.679
His case is like, man, drive by shooting everything.
00:40:47.760 --> 00:40:48.719
I'm innocent.
00:40:48.880 --> 00:40:56.559
And she's from Sacramento, and she writes to me, she's like, Miguel, I'm sorry, I can't help you because I'm a public defender from Sacramento.
00:40:56.960 --> 00:40:59.199
But once I retire, I could probably help you.
00:41:01.280 --> 00:41:04.000
I know some sources from San Diego Innocence Project.
00:41:04.079 --> 00:41:06.719
Since your case is down there, I'm gonna connect you.
00:41:06.800 --> 00:41:09.920
So um the San Diego Innocence Project started like taking my case.
00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:12.079
I have my little bit of hopes and everything.
00:41:12.159 --> 00:41:22.000
Because keep in mind, I'm already in like 16, like fit a couple years, more than 10 years into this nightmare, and I'm finally like, oh, finally, maybe my voice could be heard.
00:41:22.079 --> 00:41:43.840
And then um law students will review my case, but sad to say, like in 2015, um, they wrote me back, they sent all my paper, my my my whole work, my on my case back saying, Miguel, we're sorry we can't help you no more because um one of the witnesses that we're trying to come uh investigate or contact doesn't want to cooperate, so without that witness, there's no case.
00:41:44.480 --> 00:41:49.519
And so another door being closed, being and I I lost hope.
00:41:49.679 --> 00:41:51.519
I did lose hope and I got surprised.
00:41:51.760 --> 00:41:53.440
I didn't see everybody cried like a baby.
00:41:53.760 --> 00:41:55.920
Yeah, I got like them, yeah.
00:41:57.280 --> 00:42:11.440
And it was 2015 and I just like started giving up, not eating, depression hit me, and literally like they had to give me like a feeding tube, do all kinds of stuff on me, electric convulsive treatment, and then I started like getting better and like nothing else was working, you know.
00:42:12.320 --> 00:42:12.800
You hit rock bottom.
00:42:13.760 --> 00:42:20.960
You know, I was kind of like losing hope basically, but uh I remember right there they give you like those little Bibles right there in prison, you know.
00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:25.760
And I remember seeing some guy, he had a Bible with his name, and I go, Hey, what did you get?
00:42:25.840 --> 00:42:26.960
That Bible was 2018.
00:42:27.039 --> 00:42:29.199
He goes, All right, this um church, they'll send it to you.
00:42:29.280 --> 00:42:30.159
It takes a couple times.
00:42:30.239 --> 00:42:35.360
So I wrote them and they finally they sent me a Bible, you know, and I was like, dude, you know what?
00:42:35.519 --> 00:42:37.199
I'm gonna start seeking God.
00:42:37.360 --> 00:42:38.559
That's that's what I need.
00:42:38.719 --> 00:42:44.800
So in 2018, every morning I wake up at five o'clock in the morning, start praising him, giving, reading the Bible.
00:42:44.880 --> 00:42:48.639
And at that time, I still had no attorney, no representing, nothing.
00:42:48.800 --> 00:42:51.360
But I was like, God, I believe in you, I trust in you.
00:42:51.599 --> 00:42:56.079
I started building that, drawing closer to her, to him, praising him, and everything.
00:42:56.239 --> 00:43:04.239
Then um, and thanks to like God, I could honestly say thanks to him after getting drawing closer to God in August of 2021.
00:43:04.639 --> 00:43:10.239
And some same attorney, Alan Eggers, she writes me and she goes, Miguel, guess what?
00:43:10.639 --> 00:43:12.639
Um, I retired.
00:43:12.719 --> 00:43:17.599
I'm gonna take your case pro bono, which means free of charge.
00:43:17.840 --> 00:43:21.199
I was like, thank you, Jesus, thank you, God.
00:43:21.440 --> 00:43:24.559
Goes your kind of cases normally have charged 500 grand.
00:43:25.119 --> 00:43:26.480
That's half a million.
00:43:26.639 --> 00:43:29.519
I was like, but for you, I'm gonna do it for free.
00:43:29.760 --> 00:43:31.920
And I was like, oh my God.
00:43:32.079 --> 00:43:39.119
And I was just like, I was like, thank you, Jesus, thank you, God, like, thank you for finally like having my prayers be here.
00:43:39.280 --> 00:43:40.800
Because I was like what day was that?
00:43:40.960 --> 00:43:42.639
That was August of 2021.
00:43:42.800 --> 00:43:44.000
You probably know the date of everything.
00:43:44.320 --> 00:43:47.280
Yes, you know, and um she started Yes, bro.
00:43:47.360 --> 00:43:49.840
I can't even uh just you telling me gives me the chill.
00:43:50.400 --> 00:43:53.440
Yes, you know, so I So how did that journey start?
00:43:53.599 --> 00:43:56.480
So I was like my Alan Egg.
00:43:56.880 --> 00:43:58.000
Three years have you been down now?
00:43:58.159 --> 00:43:59.760
Right there, I was probably down already like 20.
00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:13.519
22, 22, over over, and once I hit 20 years, I'm not gonna lie, I felt like, damn, what is this gonna what is like once I hit 20 years, two decades, I was like, bro, getting tired, like, dude, when is my voice gonna be heard?
00:44:13.599 --> 00:44:19.920
But finally, God sent me like an angel, Ellen Edgers, and she goes, you know what, Miguel?
00:44:20.320 --> 00:44:21.039
I'm gonna take your case.
00:44:21.199 --> 00:44:24.320
We're gonna contact the Northern California Innocence Project.
00:44:24.480 --> 00:44:25.679
We're gonna get them involved.
00:44:25.840 --> 00:44:38.639
Sarah Pace and Kate, uh Paige Kenneth are gonna take your case, and we're also gonna contact the DA from the district attorney from Los Angeles, and we're gonna have them, it's called the Conviction Target Unit.
00:44:38.800 --> 00:44:41.760
He goes, and right there, they helped innocent cases.
00:44:41.840 --> 00:44:45.679
So those are DAs and cops that review innocent cases.
00:44:45.920 --> 00:45:00.559
Right there's hundreds of letters going there, and they have this short and limited on resources, so they only take 10 cases per year to investigate because they're doing thorough investigations, but mine was number nine out of those ten.
00:45:01.119 --> 00:45:20.400
I was like, thank you, God, like things are looking like like my voice is fine, like you know, I'm starting to smile, like already trusting in God, like even once I start building that relationship with God, and I was like, dude, we got the Northern California's project, we got the conviction triggering, and we got L Mangro.
00:45:20.719 --> 00:45:24.480
So they're all advocating they start finding a rate of habeas corpus.
00:45:24.719 --> 00:45:33.679
For those that don't know what a rate writ up habeas corpus is newly discovered evidence that was never produced at trial, you know, that could be a new outcome.
00:45:33.840 --> 00:45:38.400
So NTIP, the Northern California project started getting new evidence.
00:45:38.559 --> 00:45:51.199
They brought a lot of exculpatory evidence on my behalf, and they um finally in um let's see in um March, you know, they did in March of 2023.
00:45:51.280 --> 00:45:53.440
That's when um, you know, I was in my cell.
00:45:53.599 --> 00:46:03.039
I remember that day, and you know, I was in my cell, it was like around three o'clock in the afternoon, and I just I felt a little overwhelmed, but still I had that faith in God.
00:46:03.119 --> 00:46:10.000
I got on my knees and I started praying to God, like God, you know, I have faith in you that you're gonna open the doors, you're gonna clear my name.
00:46:10.159 --> 00:46:11.760
You're you're readers of heart.
00:46:11.840 --> 00:46:13.199
You know my heart's white of snow.
00:46:13.280 --> 00:46:14.800
You know I have no involvement in this.
00:46:14.960 --> 00:46:19.119
You know that you're gonna bring justice to my name, you're gonna clear clear my name.
00:46:19.199 --> 00:46:20.159
I trust in you.
00:46:20.320 --> 00:46:22.800
I have faith in you that you and I don't doubt you.
00:46:23.039 --> 00:46:23.760
I believe in you.
00:46:23.840 --> 00:46:24.960
I'm a strong believer.
00:46:25.119 --> 00:46:27.360
My faith, you know me, I believe in you.
00:46:27.519 --> 00:46:43.920
And after like crying and sobbing and on my knees inside the cell, I got up, you know, and right there, you you know, you got concrete walls, so you only have a little window, but I walked back in the cell and I looked out the window just to clear my mind and the art of all the things.
00:46:44.000 --> 00:46:45.280
You know, I'm wiping my tears.
00:46:45.360 --> 00:46:51.599
I look right there at the window and I see this big old amazing, beautiful rainbow just right there, like staring at me.
00:46:51.679 --> 00:46:54.800
And I felt like, you know, well, God, you're hearing my prayers.
00:46:55.039 --> 00:47:00.400
Like I felt this something about that rainbow that made me believe that God's listening to me.
00:47:00.480 --> 00:47:04.079
Like, like a father talks to a son when they have a one-on-one conversation.
00:47:04.239 --> 00:47:06.639
I felt God was hearing me, you know.
00:47:06.880 --> 00:47:20.239
And then in July of 2028, of 2023, um, they say, you know what, my Northern California's project, my attorney Alan Eggers, and um submitted a rate of habeas corpus.
00:47:20.400 --> 00:47:24.159
They showed a copy to the conviction trigger unit, they submit it.
00:47:24.719 --> 00:47:29.840
Then again in September of 2023, I'm walking the yard, right?
00:47:30.400 --> 00:47:34.719
And and I'm waiting to for a response from the courts, but I'm walking the yard.
00:47:34.880 --> 00:47:41.119
Oh no, it was a Saturday night, and um I'm in my cell, and I felt overwhelmed still, you know.
00:47:41.280 --> 00:47:45.519
I have my saturated and everything, but uh at that moment I was like, you know what I'm gonna do?
00:47:45.679 --> 00:47:51.119
I got on my knees, I started praying to God and everything, sobbing and crying, like, God, I believe in you.
00:47:51.199 --> 00:47:53.280
I I know you're gonna bring justice to me.
00:47:53.360 --> 00:47:57.440
I I don't I don't doubt you, but I still feel overwhelmed, but I still have believed in him.
00:47:57.679 --> 00:48:01.119
I went back to sleep and in the morning they did on like to go to the yard.
00:48:01.199 --> 00:48:10.239
It was a Sunday, and I'm they doing like eight o'clock and I started walking, and talking about things I see, I see this big old epic rainbow just right there on top of me.
00:48:10.480 --> 00:48:11.760
And I say, you know what?
00:48:11.920 --> 00:48:14.159
This time I know it's not a coincidence.
00:48:14.320 --> 00:48:17.119
I know this time he's listening to my prayers.
00:48:17.280 --> 00:48:21.920
I end up getting coup spumps all over my body, like, dude, this is not a coincidence no more.
00:48:22.320 --> 00:48:26.400
Same like every time I got on my knees to praise him, you know, bro.
00:48:26.719 --> 00:48:32.800
Like I I felt like every time that was right there, he's like telling me, don't worry, everything's gonna be okay.
00:48:32.880 --> 00:48:34.880
You know, you you trusted me, I got you.
00:48:35.039 --> 00:48:37.519
That's the kind of connection I was feeling with him.
00:48:37.679 --> 00:48:53.599
And then that one on uh October, the my attorney goes, Hey, the they can concided, they conceded with uh concided with us, so we're gonna have a court on November, we're gonna have a webcam, and and you're gonna have court with the judge November 9th, because they filed that.
00:48:53.840 --> 00:49:02.559
So when you heard that news, yes, I was like, whoa, so I went over this is actually the first anything that's happened in the 23 years, bro.
00:49:02.960 --> 00:49:10.960
Yes, and um happened to be that um my attorney, um Sarah Pace from the Northern California Instance Project goes, you know what, Miguel?
00:49:11.119 --> 00:49:19.599
It's really rare that um that the DA and everything, because I agree with us that what they've been doing to you is injustice.
00:49:19.920 --> 00:49:29.440
And everything, no many cases like yours take months and years for the DA to finally say, you know what, this guy is actually innocent.
00:49:29.599 --> 00:49:43.280
But mine lasted from um July, August, September, October, like three, like literally 90 days, three months to the DA goes, hey, we agree with that that this man is actually innocent.
00:49:43.360 --> 00:49:52.159
And when I went to court November 9th, 2023, the judge goes, Miguel, uh, we're sorry, we apologize to the justice system failed you.
00:49:52.400 --> 00:49:54.320
You had no involvement in this.
00:49:54.480 --> 00:49:58.320
There's exculpatory evidence that does not, you're not even there.
00:49:58.880 --> 00:50:02.960
Um, what we're gonna do, we're gonna vacate and dismiss all charges.
00:50:03.199 --> 00:50:07.199
The sad thing about it, the sad thing about it almost have a heart attack and die.
00:50:08.239 --> 00:50:08.880
You know what I mean?
00:50:09.039 --> 00:50:09.199
Yeah.
00:50:09.519 --> 00:50:12.079
Just like when you heard those words.
00:50:12.400 --> 00:50:15.199
I was like, I looked up and I was like, thank you.
00:50:15.360 --> 00:50:16.639
Don't be playing with me, ain't it?
00:50:16.800 --> 00:50:17.039
Yeah.
00:50:17.280 --> 00:50:18.719
And I still didn't believe it.
00:50:18.960 --> 00:50:19.840
This is on the website, right?
00:50:20.000 --> 00:50:20.880
Yeah, this is on the webcam.
00:50:21.760 --> 00:50:21.840
Yeah.
00:50:22.000 --> 00:50:23.199
So you're not actually in the parking lot.
00:50:23.360 --> 00:50:37.760
Yeah, so so then afterwards, um, and the following day was the Veterans Day, so I waited until Monday to all the paperwork, and finally November 13, 2023, I came and walked out of prison, and I was just in disbelief.
00:50:38.000 --> 00:50:39.920
I was like, How many years total?
00:50:40.239 --> 00:50:44.719
Uh exactly 20, about 20, close to 25 years, about 25 years.
00:50:44.960 --> 00:50:47.280
19 years old, and I came out at 44.
00:50:47.440 --> 00:50:48.079
Oh my god.
00:50:48.239 --> 00:50:51.920
So a whole quarter of a century for something I had no involvement.
00:50:52.400 --> 00:51:03.840
No involvement, you know, and I praise God that without him, without me not drawing closer to him, I think I probably would have been dead and dying it slowly but surely in prison.
00:51:04.079 --> 00:51:05.280
Or or just got into the mix.
00:51:05.519 --> 00:51:05.679
Yeah.
00:51:08.320 --> 00:51:08.719
Why not?
00:51:08.880 --> 00:51:09.360
Yeah, yeah.
00:51:09.599 --> 00:51:10.559
You got to lose, you know.
00:51:10.719 --> 00:51:12.079
Yeah, and I started praising it.
00:51:12.320 --> 00:51:24.719
It seems like everything was just lining perfect from 2018 to 2021, those three years, I didn't have no one out here defending me, but who was defending was the God, a man above.
00:51:25.280 --> 00:51:32.000
Yeah, and I came home November 13, 2023, and I was just the happiest man in the world in the world.
00:51:32.159 --> 00:51:43.519
But that night when when I got exoned, um, when the judge vacated the the um the sentencing and everything through my name, when I went back to my cell that night, I remember I was in my cell.
00:51:44.000 --> 00:51:45.280
So you knew already I'm going home.
00:51:45.440 --> 00:51:46.320
Yeah, I'm going home.
00:51:46.480 --> 00:51:48.079
And I was watching the TV too.
00:51:48.159 --> 00:51:52.320
I was watching the TV, you know, right there you could get a 15-inch um TV screen.
00:51:52.480 --> 00:51:55.199
And I was watching um a row of evil, right?
00:51:55.360 --> 00:52:08.559
It's a Spanish show, and it was commercial, so I was just flipping the channels, you know, and I was flipping the channels, and out of uh out of all the things I could see, there was a big old rainbow like right there in front of my screen of my TV, you know.
00:52:09.360 --> 00:52:12.480
And I bet every time you see a rainbow, you say, you know, thank you, Jesus.
00:52:12.639 --> 00:52:17.679
Yeah, and I I say it because that's God's pride for people that don't know what a rainbow is, yeah.
00:52:17.760 --> 00:52:24.559
It's God's promises exactly, but to me it was a God's promise because I was seeking him, I was drawing closer to him.
00:52:24.880 --> 00:52:25.920
Be faithful, my servant.
00:52:26.639 --> 00:52:26.800
Yes.
00:52:27.199 --> 00:52:27.840
Okay, amen.
00:52:28.320 --> 00:52:35.199
Yes, you know, because now let's let's jump into I I'm just talking from the heart.
00:52:35.360 --> 00:52:36.239
Payback almost.
00:52:36.639 --> 00:52:37.119
Payback.
00:52:37.920 --> 00:52:40.960
Well, why can't this district attorney be punished?
00:52:41.039 --> 00:52:43.519
Why can't the state be punished?
00:52:43.840 --> 00:52:44.880
Did you sue him?
00:52:45.199 --> 00:52:48.800
Um, because this this was actually possible Excuse me, real quick.
00:52:48.960 --> 00:52:52.400
I know some states will let you go, but you can't sue us.
00:52:52.559 --> 00:52:55.920
Yeah, they make you sign a contract, and some states they'll be like, you know what?
00:52:56.000 --> 00:52:59.119
Yeah, we know we're on fault, but you gotta sign, but you can't sue us.
00:52:59.199 --> 00:53:01.840
You ain't not gonna get no kind of settlement, no money, but you get it.
00:53:02.079 --> 00:53:05.199
We took 25 years of your life, but you know, yeah, get out, bro.
00:53:05.440 --> 00:53:07.920
Yeah, and and keep in mind, like mine was 25 years.
00:53:08.079 --> 00:53:09.679
I'm stuck in the pagers days.
00:53:09.840 --> 00:53:16.320
So for those, so for those people that don't get paid out, like don't even get some kind of settlement or anything, nothing going.
00:53:16.480 --> 00:53:20.000
So imagine just throwing back to the feature, like with now AI and everything.
00:53:20.320 --> 00:53:31.840
You're gonna be like, technology is so advanced, I still have problems trying to understand um the new cell phones because back then didn't have cell phones unless you were a doctor, Motorola, stuff like that.
00:53:31.920 --> 00:53:33.119
You know, you're bothered.
00:53:33.280 --> 00:53:41.920
But now nowadays I remember when I was out, my niece, she's only five years old, and I'm trying to put a on my cell phone a screen picture of my dog.
00:53:42.000 --> 00:53:43.280
His name is Freedom, right?
00:53:43.360 --> 00:53:47.039
And my boxer has a screen thing, goes, Oh, I can't help you tell.
00:53:47.199 --> 00:53:49.519
Five year old goes, there you go.
00:53:49.760 --> 00:53:51.519
I was like, what the heck?
00:53:51.679 --> 00:53:55.119
She made me feel this big, like, what the hell?
00:53:55.360 --> 00:53:59.039
A little kid just showing me in seconds, oh yeah, yeah.
00:53:59.280 --> 00:54:03.440
And now that technology, but to me, it's like this new technology is still kind of difficult.
00:54:03.599 --> 00:54:04.719
I'm trying to understand it.
00:54:04.800 --> 00:54:08.239
I'm still having like trouble to adjust stuff like that.
00:54:08.320 --> 00:54:17.440
Like coming out was like, I remember my attorney, Simone from um Northern California's project, she handed me like um a debit card, right?
00:54:17.599 --> 00:54:24.960
And I remember I was in Target, I was just out like maybe three, four days or two days, and we're like going some to store.
00:54:25.119 --> 00:54:26.800
You came back to Whittier or where did you go?
00:54:26.960 --> 00:54:30.079
I was I uh I was um yeah, I came back to Whittier and everything.
00:54:30.239 --> 00:54:34.159
And she, I'm trying, I'm in Target and I'm like, I'm reading real quick.
00:54:34.320 --> 00:54:35.840
Did this hit the media when you got home?
00:54:36.000 --> 00:54:38.000
Yes, it hit the media and everything.
00:54:38.079 --> 00:54:39.440
Yeah, my whole thing.
00:54:39.599 --> 00:54:42.480
Because I remember I wanted to surprise my mom, right?
00:54:42.639 --> 00:54:45.280
And like knock out the door like mom at this time.
00:54:46.079 --> 00:54:48.480
Luckily, thank God that my mom's still alive.
00:54:48.639 --> 00:54:59.039
She was 76 years old, and I remember telling my mom, because she used to come visit me once a month with my sister, that were always the faithful ones.
00:54:59.199 --> 00:55:04.239
But I remember telling my mom, um, she came to visit me in October of 2023.
00:55:04.320 --> 00:55:12.079
The last time she came to visit me, I told my mom, uh when the visit was over, I go, I told her, this is gonna be the last hug, I'm gonna give you a present.
00:55:12.159 --> 00:55:16.960
I told her, next time I give you a hug, it's gonna be out there in the streets.
00:55:17.119 --> 00:55:18.719
I go, mark my words, mom.
00:55:18.880 --> 00:55:20.239
I'm not telling you.
00:55:20.480 --> 00:55:22.480
And sure enough, that was my last visit.
00:55:22.559 --> 00:55:28.559
And when I seen her in November, um, they f like they flew to San Francisco, right?
00:55:28.880 --> 00:55:37.599
All the family, because and we drove back to it, but when they flew over there, I remember all my like 20 family members going over there.
00:55:37.840 --> 00:55:43.760
And um, when I was gonna see my mom, the first thing I told my mom, Mom, what did I tell you?
00:55:44.000 --> 00:55:47.280
Didn't I tell you the next time I gave you a hug was gonna be out here?
00:55:47.440 --> 00:55:49.039
She was sobbing, crying me too.
00:55:49.119 --> 00:55:57.280
I was like, uh, you're right, me oh, you did mention to me the next time you see me, I'll go, I I I believed in the eye part that this was gonna happen.
00:55:57.360 --> 00:56:03.199
And when I manifested that and I believed in him, and I still do, like, he made that happen.
00:56:03.280 --> 00:56:07.440
When I told my mom, this is gonna be the last time, don't worry, mom, you don't have to go through this no more.
00:56:07.599 --> 00:56:18.320
You know, and my petition um got granted in November with the exoneration, and that's when I see my mom, October, the finally month I seen her, and I gave her my first hug.
00:56:18.719 --> 00:56:22.000
And I was just like, dude, like, and disbelieve.
00:56:22.079 --> 00:56:26.719
Like, I kept telling my attorney, my several page, all my attorneys pinch me, pinch me.
00:56:26.800 --> 00:56:30.400
This is like a dream, too good to like a dream come true, like I'm dreaming.
00:56:30.639 --> 00:56:33.440
But he goes, Don't, don't, I'm not gonna pinch you no, because this is reality.
00:56:33.599 --> 00:56:40.800
You got your freedom, but and I was like, dude, like sometimes like like I'll be driving somewhere and it just hits me.
00:56:40.880 --> 00:56:41.280
Yeah?
00:56:41.599 --> 00:56:43.679
It hits me like You missed a lot of years old.
00:56:44.000 --> 00:56:44.079
Yeah.
00:56:44.320 --> 00:56:44.880
A lot of years old.
00:56:45.599 --> 00:57:00.239
And um I I remember when I was giving a talk in Alcatraz, and I was out for a couple of couple days, you know, we a week or two, and I gave a talk in front of Orchestra the first time in front of audience, 300 audience, like strangers, right?
00:57:00.400 --> 00:57:01.360
From everywhere.
00:57:01.679 --> 00:57:14.800
And um, they're like, after I shared my story and uh NCIP did the Northern Conference project, it was Q ⁇ A qua questions and answers, and um I remember clearly one of the um when one of the audience goes, you know what?
00:57:14.880 --> 00:57:21.440
If that would have happened to me, they would have taken 25 years out of my life, I would have been mad at the world.
00:57:21.679 --> 00:57:24.559
I'll go, how is it that, how are you coping with this?
00:57:24.719 --> 00:57:25.920
I'll go, you know what?
00:57:26.159 --> 00:57:27.760
I'm a forgiving person.
00:57:28.079 --> 00:57:41.519
I forgive the crooked cop, the DA, the everybody, the judge, because and the false witnesses that lie against me, because if I don't know how to forgive someone, I'm not gonna have that inner peace.
00:57:41.599 --> 00:57:42.559
I'm gonna be miserable.
00:57:42.639 --> 00:57:44.719
I'm gonna be mad, like how you're saying.
00:57:44.880 --> 00:57:47.840
And I remember what he said, he's like, you know what, dude?
00:57:48.239 --> 00:57:51.360
I'll give you so much respect, you got so much resilience.
00:57:51.519 --> 00:57:57.199
I'll go, I I have to be forgiven because I'm not gonna be able to enjoy my freedom, my life.
00:57:57.360 --> 00:58:00.159
But I'll go, plus, you know, there is a higher power.
00:58:00.320 --> 00:58:04.079
They're the ones that they're gonna answer to him anyways, you know how I see it.
00:58:04.159 --> 00:58:06.800
Because I don't judge nobody, but I was like, you know what?
00:58:06.960 --> 00:58:08.239
And he goes, dude, I like that.
00:58:08.320 --> 00:58:11.280
But he goes, You got a lot of resilience, but I still would have been mad.
00:58:11.519 --> 00:58:12.880
You know, I was like, you know what?
00:58:13.679 --> 00:58:15.440
Hey, I'm I'm being honest, bro.
00:58:15.519 --> 00:58:16.239
I would have been mad too.
00:58:16.320 --> 00:58:22.639
You know, yeah, you know, but but as a Christian, I I'm glad that you you're forgiving them, you know what I mean?
00:58:22.800 --> 00:58:25.119
You don't have to hang out with them, you don't have to have dinner with them.
00:58:25.280 --> 00:58:26.159
Yeah, but I forgive you.
00:58:26.239 --> 00:58:28.000
Yeah, I mean you get dealt with, you know what I mean?
00:58:28.239 --> 00:58:28.639
Exactly.
00:58:29.039 --> 00:58:31.760
But what was there did you get blessed?
00:58:32.400 --> 00:58:49.679
Also, yeah, when um when I got out, um they on December of 2023 with um the DA, they found me factual innocence, which means that in the state of California, once you clear your name, that's like absolutely like clear, like I could go get a deal.
00:58:49.920 --> 00:58:52.400
So it wasn't a case drop, you were just found innocent.
00:58:52.639 --> 00:58:53.039
Innocent, yeah.
00:58:53.840 --> 00:58:54.719
Just a difference, yeah.
00:58:54.800 --> 00:59:08.800
And once they found me there, um in the state of California, if you end up um getting found innocent for they pay you$140 a day for a wrongful conviction like mine, and I did 9,000 days, you know.
00:59:08.960 --> 00:59:17.360
So they they gave me all that tax-free, and then end up giving me that month close to like 1.3 around that mile.
00:59:17.519 --> 00:59:18.880
And now that was that.
00:59:19.039 --> 00:59:25.840
Now I got a something else going in the mix at this moment, and you know, and we'll definitely keep that in front, bro.
00:59:26.320 --> 00:59:26.880
Definitely keep that.
00:59:28.079 --> 00:59:34.960
But those those officials, those policemen, did they ever give you a face-to-face apology?
00:59:35.199 --> 00:59:36.400
No, they haven't.
00:59:37.039 --> 00:59:38.719
But they know that you were police, right?
00:59:39.039 --> 00:59:47.199
And that'll meant that mean a lot to me if at least the wrongful police officers will be like, you know what, maybe I'll I apologize.
00:59:47.440 --> 00:59:50.559
To me, that'll be so like you know what?
00:59:50.800 --> 00:59:53.280
It means like you're acknowledging all your wrongdoings.
00:59:53.519 --> 00:59:57.679
Yeah, you know, I uh even if they want to say it was a mistake.
00:59:57.840 --> 00:59:58.000
Yeah.
00:59:59.519 --> 01:00:03.440
But by not saying anything, in my opinion, this is me saying, not you.
01:00:03.599 --> 01:00:07.920
In my opinion, by them not saying it, I knew I I knew I was doing crooked stuff.
01:00:08.000 --> 01:00:08.239
Yeah.
01:00:08.400 --> 01:00:09.119
That's me saying it.
01:00:09.280 --> 01:00:10.159
Ray Corona.
01:00:10.400 --> 01:00:10.960
You know what I mean?
01:00:11.119 --> 01:00:16.800
But if they came up to you and said, Miguel, I just messed up the investigation, then then it's an honest mistake.
01:00:17.119 --> 01:00:18.880
Bad mistake, but honest mistake.
01:00:18.960 --> 01:00:20.239
But that's my opinion, you know?
01:00:20.960 --> 01:00:23.920
But but you know what, Miguel, I thank you for coming on, bro.
01:00:24.000 --> 01:00:27.360
And and and ladies, he's a single man.
01:00:27.519 --> 01:00:29.360
We're gonna keep him in prayer.
01:00:29.519 --> 01:00:34.159
Uh, I always ask my guests, now that you're out, what kind of sports you watch, huh?
01:00:34.320 --> 01:00:34.719
You know what?
01:00:35.119 --> 01:00:36.559
I know you're gonna say boxing homes.
01:00:37.360 --> 01:00:38.320
Yeah, you know what?
01:00:38.400 --> 01:00:41.360
I'm a big fan of the Lakers, I'm a big fan of the Dodgers.
01:00:41.519 --> 01:00:42.000
That's right.
01:00:42.159 --> 01:00:45.679
Um, I love um every kind of sport, football too.
01:00:45.840 --> 01:00:48.800
I like um I want to go to a football team, yeah.
01:00:48.960 --> 01:00:50.400
Okay, so don't say the Raiders.
01:00:50.880 --> 01:00:53.119
Come on, I'm actually a Packer fan.
01:00:53.199 --> 01:00:57.760
Okay, you know, I'm a Packer fan because back in the 90s, like once they left, then there was no Raiders.
01:00:57.840 --> 01:00:59.840
So I jumped into bandwagon since '98.
01:01:00.079 --> 01:01:00.559
Cool, cool.
01:01:00.639 --> 01:01:05.199
But yeah, when Brett Farr was in quarterback, yeah, he was one of the best quarterbacks, too.
01:01:05.360 --> 01:01:13.440
But I love sports, I love to go hiking, I like to go to the beachy beach, I like the ocean, the water, and you'll see, you know.
01:01:13.679 --> 01:01:14.000
You know what?
01:01:14.079 --> 01:01:21.519
If you need Miguel to come out and talk to the kids, I'll be honored to give any presentations and share some kind of knowledge and wisdom.
01:01:21.679 --> 01:01:27.280
Because people, you know, we probably growing up, we're like, we hear from our parents, like, oh, don't do this, this happened.
01:01:27.440 --> 01:01:35.599
But when you hear from someone that's been in those shoes, live that life, it they it's more like they are like we understand each other.
01:01:35.679 --> 01:01:39.679
Like, cause growing up, yeah, you hear from parents, but we're like, okay, you just like whatever.
01:01:39.760 --> 01:01:45.360
But when I never had no mentor, no, no one you could look up to, or someone be like, dude, that happened to him.
01:01:45.519 --> 01:01:50.000
Like, oh shoot, like it makes you like change your mindset, you know.
01:01:50.079 --> 01:02:00.880
And I tell people, like, even their parents, like, if you have loved kids and loved ones, um, try to keep them active by putting them into sports or some kind of activity, spend time with them.
01:02:01.039 --> 01:02:04.000
That way they won't go straight with the wrong crowd or anything.
01:02:04.079 --> 01:02:08.559
That way they could like be staying something focused and try to do good.
01:02:08.719 --> 01:02:18.880
But for those um young kids, do it just, you know, uh, my best advice, I've been in that road, you know, neglected, knowledge, abused, and no one.
01:02:19.280 --> 01:02:20.079
But you know what?
01:02:20.239 --> 01:02:23.440
When you stay active doing something good, listen to your parents.
01:02:23.920 --> 01:02:26.480
Trusting God, you know, trust in God all the time.
01:02:26.719 --> 01:02:30.239
Because once you trust in God, He will open the doors.
01:02:30.400 --> 01:02:32.480
Pray about things, the doors open.
01:02:32.639 --> 01:02:35.840
Because if a miracle could happen to me, it could actually happen to you.
01:02:35.920 --> 01:02:39.360
And I'm speaking it from my own experience.
01:02:39.840 --> 01:02:40.159
Amen.
01:02:40.400 --> 01:02:42.079
With with that, we're gonna close, guys.
01:02:42.159 --> 01:02:43.199
I want to thank you again, Miguel.
01:02:43.360 --> 01:02:43.920
Thank you for coming out.
01:02:45.519 --> 01:02:46.000
Thank you, brother.
01:02:46.079 --> 01:02:50.159
Man, I just thought you hey hey guys, check out his Instagram.
01:02:50.639 --> 01:02:57.599
Again, I'm not playing Cupid, but he's an available man, a godly man, beautiful home.
01:02:57.760 --> 01:03:02.559
So I just want you, hey, go to Third Man in the Ring or Rep Popeye Ray.
01:03:02.719 --> 01:03:04.239
Please share this and subscribe.
01:03:04.480 --> 01:03:05.280
God bless, guys.
01:03:05.519 --> 01:03:06.000
God bless.
