Man Exonerated After 19 Years in Prison for Robbery He Didn't Commit

Kenneth Windley, 61, had his conviction thrown out after prosecutors agreed new evidence proved his innocence.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 4:05pm

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Kenneth Windley, a 61-year-old man, was exonerated and freed on Monday after spending nearly two decades in prison for a robbery he did not commit. Prosecutors said new evidence, including confessions from two other men who were convicted of similar robberies, supported Windley's long-standing claim of innocence. Windley was arrested in 2005 after buying a stove for his mother with a money order that turned out to be stolen, but he maintained he had simply bought the money order from acquaintances who insisted it was valid.

Why it matters

This case highlights the importance of thorough investigation and analysis of evidence, as well as the potential for wrongful convictions to occur. It also raises questions about the criminal justice system's ability to correct such errors, even after many years have passed.

The details

Windley was convicted of robbery in 2007 and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, despite his claims of innocence. After his conviction, a friend and private investigators helped Windley identify the men who had actually committed the robbery and persuaded them to come forward. In sworn statements and interviews, the two men said they had robbed the victim, Gerald Ross, 70, and that Windley was not involved. Prosecutors concluded that if the jury had known this information, it likely would have raised reasonable doubt about the charge against Windley.

  • Windley was arrested in 2005 for the robbery.
  • Windley was convicted of robbery in 2007 and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.
  • Windley was exonerated and freed on Monday, March 17, 2026.

The players

Kenneth Windley

A 61-year-old man who spent nearly two decades in prison for a robbery he did not commit.

Eric Gonzalez

The Brooklyn District Attorney, a Democrat, who apologized to Windley and acknowledged that the case should never have happened.

Gerald Ross

A 70-year-old man who was the victim of the robbery that Windley was wrongly convicted of.

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What they’re saying

“It cost me 20 years, but they said they corrected it now. So that's all that matters.”

— Kenneth Windley

“This case is really a cautionary tale of how things can seem one way, but, without careful analysis, not be what it purports to be. Had we known what the evidence was, this case should have never happened.”

— Eric Gonzalez, Brooklyn District Attorney

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of thorough investigation and analysis of evidence in the criminal justice system, as well as the need for greater accountability and transparency when wrongful convictions occur. It serves as a reminder that even after many years, the system must work to correct such errors and provide justice for those who have been wrongfully imprisoned.