CHINESE IMMIGRANT DAVID WONG DEPORTED AFTER BEING CLEARED OF 1986 MURDER:
The First Statements Released By David Wong And His Supporters About His August 2005 Deportation
David Wong, a Chinese immigrant wrongly convicted of murder in 1987 in New York, is finally free after being deported in August 2005 to Hong Kong. Today, his supporters on the David Wong Support Committee are issuing their first public statement along with a statement by David Wong.
Justice was not served in David's case because the United States deported David Wong without allowing him to stay in the United States or to spend a single day of freedom with his supporters. In December 2004, the murder case against David was finally dropped after extensive proof that a prison guard coached an inmate to lie about the 1987 murder and that the real killer was someone else who held a grudge against the victim. The case was an extraordinary example of individuals working together to overturn the wrongful conviction of an immigrant who did not receive a fair trial. As Fei Yeung, spokesperson of the David Wong Support Committee and David's niece, said, "David Wong's conviction was overturned thanks to hundreds of supporters. The criminal justice system pinned the murder on an innocent Chinese immigrant and without the hard work of the community, David would still be in prison today for something he did not commit."
Nothing can make up for the dozen years that David was wrongly imprisoned. Mr. Wong has filed a lawsuit seeking some compensation for the wrongful conviction and how the recent admission that the main witness was coached by a prison guard to lie. New York state is opposing David's lawsuit and it is unclear whether or how much the courts might ultimately award.
David Wong is well-known for inspiring hundreds to uncover a large body of evidence that he was wrongly convicted in 1987. Although the evidence was uncovered in 2001, it took the justice system until 2004 for an appellate court to overrule a trial court and overturn the murder conviction. From December 2004 to August 2005, federal immigration authorities at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained David near Buffalo, New York and refused to release him pending his deportation. David is now in Hong Kong.
An excerpt of David's statement says "I am presently happy and comfortable at home and enjoying time with my mom, my two sisters and their families. I would like to thank all my friends, supporters, relatives in the U.S., and the People's Republic of China Consulate in New York for making my freedom and homecoming a reality."
David's supporters have held rallies, fundraiser banquets, and produced a documentary video on the case. In June 2005, supporters held a celebration dinner in New York City.
The full statement by David is on the main page of freedavidwong.org
Post your comments and questions to this blog entry!
On Thursday, June 16, 2005, the David Wong Support Committee (DWSC) will celebrate the exoneration of David Wong from a wrongful murder conviction. This victory celebration will take place at Harmony Palace, 98 Mott Street, Chinatown, NYC, at 6:00PM. There will be honored guests and performances to commemorate this victory.
Tickets are $30.00 each and can be purchased through June 10, 2005 by mail. Write a check payable to "DWSC," indicate the number of tickets you are purchasing, and mail your check to DWSC, P.O. Box 525236, Flushing, New York 11352. Please also include a method of contact so we may confirm receipt of your check. Your tickets will be held at the door for you to pick up on the evening of the event. All other tickets can be purchased on the day of the event at Harmony Palace.
David Wong, a Chinese immigrant, was framed for a murder he did not commit, and served 12 extra years in state prison. On October 21, 2004, a five-judge panel of the NYS Appellate Division, Third Department, unanimously overturned the murder conviction and remanded the case for a new trial before Clinton County Court Judge Timothy Lawliss, who presided over David's evidentiary hearing. Judge Lawliss, a longtime friend and former business partner of Clinton County District Attorney Richard Cantwell, was forced to recuse himself from the case. On December 10, 2004, David's exoneration came to a climactic conclusion when DA Cantwell finally capitulated after Judge Lawliss' recusal and reluctantly dropped the case against David.
As new evidence brought forth the disturbing truth that this case was built on lies and that an innocent, vulnerable person was exploited because he was an immigrant, the case raised the question of whether the criminal justice system works for the poor, people of color, and immigrants. While putting a spotlight on the criminal justice system, the case also vindicated the work of those who supported David through years of unwavered resistance against this very same system.
However, there is another crucial phase to this fight before David is freed. David was transferred to a federal detention facility in Buffalo after his exoneration. He is now facing deportation, and the fight to free him must continue. The lessons of our victory, seldom experienced by our community, must be shared. Come celebrate and honor those who fought so hard and are still fighting for David's freedom.
EXONERATED BUT NOT FREE.
FREE DAVID WONG!
For information on the Celebration Banquet, please contact Jennifer Tsai, soyabi@hotmail.com or Wayne Lum, 347-400-1656
"The most amazing thing about the Wong case was that it had attracted the support of dozens of Asian American activists who did not know Wong but felt strongly about the man that they persisted for more than a decade." -- David Chen