What happened to Colin Warner?
Colin Warner spent 21 years in prison for a wrongful conviction. His friend studied the law to help get him out. Brooklyn-based journalist Curtis Stephen explains how he came to document the heartbreaking story that inspired Amazon’s new film, Crown Heights.
Why did John Warner go to jail?
In 1982, when he was just 18 years old, Warner was convicted for a crime he did not commit—the murder of 16-year-old Mario Hamilton. Though he maintained his innocence, Warner spent the next 21 years in prison.
Who is Antoinette Warner’s husband?
Antoinette Warner understands the definition of love standing the test of time. Her husband Colin Warner spent 21 years behind bars for a murder he didn’t commit. Their relationship, dramatized in the new movie, Crown Heights, tells the heartbreaking story of Colin’s arrest at 18 years old in 1980 for the murder of another teenager in Brooklyn.
How did Owen Rezende know about Colin Warner?
He had a friend named Owen Rezende that was communicating with Colin Warner and received letters from him while he was in prison, describing his plight, so he knew the whole history of the case. I had graduated from Long Island University maybe two years before then.
How much did Colin Warner receive?
$2.7 millionCharge:Second Degree MurderCompensation Awarded:"$2.7 million (New York City, 2009)"Was Perpetrator Identified?YesAge When Imprisoned:18Age When Released:3931 more rows
How many years did Colin Warner serve?
Lakeith Stanfield stars as Colin Warner in the film Crown Heights. Warner was 18 when he was wrongfully convicted of murdering 16-year-old Mario Hamilton. He served 20 years in prison before being exonerated.
Who did Colin Warner marry?
Antoinette Warner understands the definition of love standing the test of time. Her husband Colin Warner spent 21 years behind bars for a murder he didn't commit.
Who is Crown Heights based on?
Colin WarnerCrown Heights is a 2017 American biographical crime drama film written and directed by Matt Ruskin. Adapted from a This American Life podcast, the film tells the true story of Colin Warner who was wrongfully convicted of murder, and how his best friend Carl King devoted his life to proving Colin's innocence.
What is the movie Crown Heights about?
In 1980, police in Brooklyn, N.Y., wrongfully charge Trinidadian immigrant Colin Warner with murder. Convicted for a crime he didn't commit, Colin spends 20 years in prison while his friend Carl King fights for the young man's freedom.Crown Heights / Film synopsis
Is Crown Heights a black neighborhood?
As of the 2020 census according to New York City Department of City Planning, there were between 20,000 and 29,999 Black residents and 10,000 to 19,999 White residents. The concentration of Black residents in South Crown Heights is slightly lower than North Crown Heights.
How did Crown Heights get its name?
Originally the nabe was known as Crow Hill, in reference to its hillside location and the crows that roosted at the area's highest peak. The title Crown Heights was adopted with the extension of Crown Street in 1916.
Is Crown Heights being gentrified?
Overall, Crown Heights' population grew from about 127,000 in 2010 to nearly 136,000 in 2020 — an increase of about 6.7 percent. The increase was due to a gain of more than 6,600 to the population identified as "other" or multi-racial and a spikes of nearly 3,000 in the Asian and Hispanic population, data shows.
Is Crown Heights Brooklyn a safe neighborhood?
It is a good place for young people to live, but make sure you understand your connection to gentrification and attempt to help the community and prevent displacement. For safety, it's say its relatively safe on the west side (next to Prospect Heights), and gradually gets less safe as you travel east.
How much did Warner settle for?
In 2002, Warner filed a claim with the New York Court of Claims. He settled the claim for $2 million.
How old was Colin Warner when he shot Mario?
Charlemagne told police that he saw 18-year-old Colin Warner, a native of Trinidad from Crown Heights, step out of a car and shoot Mario, get back in a car driven by 15-year-old Norman Simmonds and leave the scene. The following day, police spoke with Martell Hamilton and showed him a photo lineup, but he did not identify anyone.
Why did Mario Hamilton's brother identify Warner?
Mario Hamilton’s brother provided an affidavit saying that he only identified Warner because he was pressured by police. Robedee deposed Simmonds, who said under oath that he alone killed Hamilton. Robedee also presented two witnesses who were friends of Simmonds who said they saw the shooting and that Simmonds acted alone. ...
Where was Charlemagne deported?
Meanwhile Charlemagne was deported to Haiti and was believed to have been killed there.
Why was the trial of Charlemagne delayed?
Warner and Simmonds went on trial in March 1982. The trial had been delayed because Charlemagne disappeared. He was arrested on a charge of robbing a restaurant in February 1982 and so was available to testify.
Where did Warner move to?
Warner moved to Georgia with Catherine Charles, whom he’d married nearly 8 years prior, and her daughter, while King stayed in New York City, working to exonerate others who were wrongfully convicted. Crown Heights, a powerful film that captures Warner’s case with a tender, somber beauty, is in select theaters nationwide. ...
Why did Warner lose his appeal?
Warner fought from the inside, studying in the law library and writing the brief for his first appeal. He lost several appeals and he was denied parole, as his protestation of innocence was taken as lack of remorse. His friend King decided to take a new approach: reinvestigate the crime.
Why was Warner denied parole?
He lost several appeals and he was denied parole, as his protestation of innocence was taken as lack of remorse.
Who played Warner in Atlanta?
Though he maintained his innocence, Warner spent the next 21 years in prison. Warner is played by Lakeith Stanfield, most recently known for his roles in Jordan Peele’s breakout success Get Out and Donald Glover’s hit TV show Atlanta on FX.
Who killed Charlemagne?
Charlemagne had been killed in Haiti in the early ’90s, but they tracked down the real shooter, Simmonds . He had only served nine years since he was a minor and was released early on good behavior. Protected by the double jeopardy clause of the Fifth Amendment, Simmons finally admitted that he killed Hamilton in revenge for the death of a friend. He gave them the names of all the people who saw the crime. King tracked down those witnesses and convinced them to speak out on Warner’s behalf.
Why did Simmons kill Hamilton?
Protected by the double jeopardy clause of the Fifth Amendment, Simmons finally admitted that he killed Hamilton in revenge for the death of a friend. He gave them the names of all the people who saw the crime.
How long did Norman and Warner go to jail?
Their first trial ended in a hung jury, after which Norman was offered a plea deal: 2 to 6 years in prison and Colin Warner walks. Norman didn’t take it and they both got convicted of second-degree murder.
How long was Colin in prison?
Colin spent 4 years of his time in prison in solitary confinement. His appeals were repeatedly denied. His parole hearings were wastes of time. It looked like he would be spending the rest of his life in prison.
How long is Colin's sentence?
Colin was sentenced to the minimum allowable sentence: 15 years to life .
What to do if you are innocent and facing charges like Colin?
If you are or someone you know is innocent and facing charges like Colin, having an experienced attorney by your side is critical.
Who was the witness to the murder of Mario Hamilton?
It all started when 16-year-old Mario Hamilton was killed on April 10, 1980. Two 14-year-olds were interrogated by police. Their names were Thomas Charlemagne – the alleged witness to the murder – and Martell Hamilton, the victim’s brother. Police questioned the boys for hours.
When was Carl King arrested?
A 2005 story on This American Life chronicles his story, from when he was arrested and convicted in 1980, to the unceasing work of his friend Carl King which eventually led to his exoneration and release in 2001.
How long was Antoinette Warner's husband in jail?
Her husband was wrongfully imprisoned for 21 years, now she’s inspiring others with their story. Antoinette Warner understands the definition of love standing the test of time. Her husband Colin Warner spent 21 years behind bars for a murder he didn’t commit.
How much did Colin and Antoinette get for their wrongful conviction?
But the couple has pressed forward and hopes to inspire others by sharing their story. In 2009, Colin was awarded $2.7 million for the wrongful conviction, and the family moved to Georgia. “I’m happy because he’s free,” says Antoinette. “And if nothing else, that he got his freedom back and that’s the ultimate prize.”.
Why does Antoinette visit Colin?
Antoinette says she would often visit Colin and bring food to nourish him since he was vegetarian. Even when people questioned her sticking by him, she drew strength from her Rastafari spirituality and his resolve to prove his innocence.
Who were the two teenagers interrogated by police after the murder of Colin?
In Colin’s case, two teenagers were interrogated by police after the murder; one who witnessed the crime and another who was the victim’s brother. Both later admitted that police pressured them into picking Colin’s mugshot and put him on the scene, even though he never knew the victim.
Did Colin and Antoinette fall in love?
Both Colin and Antoinette were childhood friends who didn’t fall in love until later in life–once Colin was actually behind bars–but Antoinette’s belief in his innocence helped her stand by him until he walked free, even as courts rejected his appeals and request for parole.
How much did Colin Warner spend in prison?
Colin Warner: $2.7 million in 2009. Spent 21 years in prison for the 1980 shooting of a teen outside Brooklyn's Erasmus Hall High School for a crime he was finally cleared of committing. Patrick Dorismond: $2.25 million in 2003. Unarmed security guard shot dead outside a Manhattan bar by a detective in 2000.
How much did Abner Louima make in 2001?
Abner Louima: $7.1 million in 2001. Beaten and sodomized by cops in Brooklyn's 70th Precinct statinhouse in 1997.
The Interrogation
The Trial
- Their first trial ended in a hung jury, after which Norman was offered a plea deal: 2 to 6 years in prison and Colin Warner walks. Norman didn’t take it and they both got convicted of second-degree murder. Colin was sentenced to the minimum allowable sentence: 15 years to life.
The Trouble
- The trouble was, and is, once you are in the system it doesn’t matter if you aren’t guilty. Everyone inside will treat you as though you are. Colin spent 4 years of his time in prison in solitary confinement. His appeals were repeatedly denied. His parole hearings were wastes of time. It looked like he would be spending the rest of his life in prison.
Innocent and Imprisoned
- However, Colin had a diehard friend on the outside, Carl King. Carl worked on getting Colin freed in all his spare time. In 2001, he eventually got attorney William Robedee interested in this case. Together they found not only Norman Simmonds, who admitted to killing Mario, but Mario’s brother, Martell, and another witness who could testify that it wasn’t Colin who killed Mario. The…
Takeaway
- After 21 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Colin Warner was released. This story is a testament to the dedication and friendship of Carl King – who now helps other innocent people get out of prison. If you are or someone you know is innocent and facing charges like Colin, having an experienced attorney by your side is critical. Call today