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Julio & Denis
Country of Origin: Peru
From: New York & Philadelphia
Our case is one that (unfortunately) too often happens to immigrants (even if in parts) when they become victims of bigotry and injustice. We ask that as you familiarize yourself with the issues, realize that if it happened once it could happen again and that tolerance for injustice should be with the same indignation (if not more) that you have against crime itself. We hope that you join our efforts or at the minimum, pass this link along to help spread our message. We hope that what we share helps one if not many and raises awareness to the cruelties of injustice. We believe that because of imperfections and misjudgments, which are qualities of all men, we owe it to ourselves and each other to stand together against injustice. We, the people are the checks and balances that must always remind and demand our government for a truer and more equal justice system for all.
For this, we are united families in support of bringing the long awaited justice to Denis Calderon and Julio Maldonado, cousins who undeniably were victims of an unpunished hate crime that led to a wrongful conviction which now wrongfully labels them “criminal aliens removable and permanently exiled” as an effect of IIRIRA. Variations of these injustices are not rare, but like all cases, the circumstances makes ours unique and undeniably wrong. Consider that after these men where wrongfully found “guilty” via a bench trial for “aggravated assault”, the same evidence and claim of self defense found them “not guilty” at a later attempt of further injustice when they were charged with “murder” after the attacker passed away 2 years later. Consider that the same Judge/Trier of fact, who convicted them for “aggravated assault”, vacated his own conviction and granted them a new trial after the evidentiary hearing remanded by the Superior Court as an effect of their direct appeal of “insufficient counsel” brought forth the additional medical expertise which proofed errors in trial occurred. Though the Judge really tried to make a wrong right again, regrettably his ruling was overturned at the request of the Assistant District Attorney via his own appeal over the Judge’s ruling. For this, they both served almost 3 years in jail and 10 years of parole. All following appeal efforts were either denied or rejected due to case law technicalities or missed deadlines that should not block true justice. These men have always wanted the opportunity to prove their innocence in the courtroom, but today they will settle for justice any way they can get it. Their only hope for relief is a full pardon from Governor Edward G. Rendell (PA) followed by an approval by the Department of Homeland Security to cancel their “deportation/removal orders”. Denis and Julio have been in Federal Prison for the last 4 yrs because they refused to assist the government with their “removal orders”. Being deported as innocent men and victims of hate is not only injustice but inhumane. Soon they will be released back to DHS, only to face what they have been trying to avoid – removal and permanent exile from the only country and family they have ever known and loved.
By, Maria Rolon