• Instead of Yariel celebrating the beginning of a new year in 2003, he was taken into custody on 2/6/2003 and from this night forward his life changed for the worst. Yariel did not know why he was being question. Imagine being 16 years old with a mental disability and being arrested. As detectives interrogated him, Yariel denied any involvement of the murder but after being put under pressure, being told no matter what you say you’re going down he continue to deny any involvement. After the detectives couldn’t get him to comply, they then promised if he said he did the murder he would be released and could go home. So, he did as they wanted giving them a false confession just to go home not realizing what he just did would ruin his life because they fed a child with a mental disability false hope and lies.

Yariel, had to spend most of his years in confinement because he was seen as prey. He was young and naïve to this new world we call prison. Having to defend himself from all sorts of situations. Since then, Yariel has learned how to read and write while in prison. He still faces academic challenges but he tries his best everyday to better than yesterday.

Here are a couple of bullet points on why Yariel case should be reviewed and given a chance to come home.

• Ballistics show that the same weapon was used two weeks after the murder of Thomas Shetron by John Doe but since the witnesses did not show up to court John Doe was released and charges were dismissed.  
• Being interrogated as a minor without a parent or attorney.
• Yariel was illiterate with other mental disabilities
• The witnesses said there were 3 African American males who committed the murder. Yariel is not African American nor does he have a dark complexion.
• Why is Yariel the only person sitting in jail if there are witnesses pointing at three males that committed the crime.
• Yariel had witnesses that he was at his grandmothers the time of the incident.
• They never read Yariel his Miranda rights. He was given a paper with the Miranda rights on it but he didn’t know how to read it. 

It’s been 19 ½ years that Yariel has been incarcerated, his entire child hood was stolen from him and we only want justice for what’s right. 

Yariel is sorry for the loss of the victim but he has also lost his life as well behind bars for another man’s crime. 

Please help us and sign this petition.

Yariel Cortes #FS1037