On Tuesday, the New York State Court of Appeals overturned the 2007 conviction of Edgar Morales, a Bronx gang member on state terrorism charges. Morales was prosecuted over a 2002 shooting at a church, killing a 10-year-old girl and paralyzing another person.
The Bronx district attorney applied the state’s anti-terrorism statutes to the case on the premise that the gang of Morales, the St. James Boys met the definition of “terror” as the gang was engaged in intimidating a particular community, the Mexican-Americans, who lived around St. James Park.
Morales happened to be the first person charged and convicted under the anti-terrorism law of New York State, which was passed after 9/11 attacks. Morales was also convicted of manslaughter and attempted murder in addition to terrorism charges. He received a sentence of 40 years in prison.
Upon appeal, the Appellate Division, First Department had vacated the terrorism convictions but had upheld other parts of the sentence. The First Department also rejected arguments that Morales had been denied a fair trial.