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

Kenneth Windley was freed after prosecutors agreed he was wrongfully convicted of a $550 robbery in 2007.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 3:18am

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A New York man named Kenneth Windley 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 committed similar robberies, supported Windley's longstanding claim of innocence. The judge threw out Windley's conviction and dismissed the case entirely at the request of both prosecutors and Windley's lawyers.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing issues with wrongful convictions in the criminal justice system, even when there appears to be eyewitness identification and other evidence. It raises questions about the reliability of eyewitness testimony, the importance of thorough investigations, and the need for reforms to prevent innocent people from being imprisoned for crimes they did not commit.

The details

Windley was arrested in 2005 after buying a stove for his mother with a money order that turned out to be stolen from a 70-year-old man named Gerald Ross. Ross had been robbed at a post office by two thieves who put him in a chokehold and took his money orders, cash, and bank book. Windley said he had simply bought the money order from a couple of acquaintances who insisted it was valid, but prosecutors initially did not believe him. Windley was convicted in 2007 and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison due to his prior felony convictions. After his conviction, Windley provided prosecutors with information about the two men who had actually committed the robbery, and they eventually came forward with confessions. Prosecutors concluded that if the jury had known the identities and robbery records of the actual perpetrators, it would have likely raised reasonable doubt about the charges against Windley.

  • Windley was arrested in 2005.
  • Windley was convicted in 2007.
  • 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.

Gerald Ross

A 70-year-old man who was robbed at a post office, leading to Windley's wrongful conviction.

Eric Gonzalez

The Brooklyn District Attorney who apologized to Windley and said the case should have never happened.

David Shanies

One of Windley's lawyers who told the court that Windley was "duped" into buying the stolen money order.

Suspect 1

One of the two men who confessed to robbing Gerald Ross, leading to Windley's exoneration.

Suspect 2

The other man who confessed to robbing Gerald Ross, leading to Windley's exoneration.

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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. So I'm good with that.”

— 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.”

— Eric Gonzalez, Brooklyn District Attorney

“Had we known what the evidence was, this case should have never happened.”

— Eric Gonzalez, Brooklyn District Attorney

“He was duped.”

— David Shanies, Windley's Lawyer

What’s next

No new charges have been brought in the case, as the legal timeframe for bringing charges ran out years ago and the victim, Gerald Ross, has died.

The takeaway

This wrongful conviction case underscores the need for continued reforms to the criminal justice system, including measures to improve eyewitness identification procedures, strengthen investigations, and prevent innocent people from being imprisoned for crimes they did not commit.