Dramatic moment women convicted in sex abuse case are freed after 15 years as court admits evidence was faulty

  • Elizabeth Ramirez, Kristie Mayhugh and Cassandra Rivera, all of San Antonio were released Monday after a judge vacated their 1998 conviction for the sexual assault of two young children
  • The were the final three of the so-called San Antonio 4 to be released
  • The fourth, Anna Vasquez, had already been released

By Ap Reporter

PUBLISHED: 01:05 EST, 19 November 2013 | UPDATED: 03:04 EST, 19 November 2013

It took six hours longer than they expected, but the remaining three of four San Antonio women imprisoned for sexually assaulting two girls in 1994 were freed Monday night and finally able to embrace their loved ones.

Elizabeth Ramirez, Kristie Mayhugh and Cassandra Rivera were released on their own recognizance after a judge decided to recommend that an appeals court vacate their 1998 convictions as tainted by faulty witness testimony.

The three emerged from the Bexar County Jail in San Antonio shortly after 8 p.m. Monday, clasping their hands in one another's and holding them high as tearful family and friends surged toward them.

Each was dressed in fresh, new clothes brought to them in advance by their families.

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Freed: Cassandra Rivera is greeted by family members after she, Elizabeth Ramirez and Kristie Mayhugh were released from the Bexar County Jail Monday in San Antonio after a judged ruled evidence that won their conviction in 1998 was faulty

Freed: Cassandra Rivera is greeted by family members after she, Elizabeth Ramirez and Kristie Mayhugh were released from the Bexar County Jail Monday in San Antonio after a judged ruled evidence that won their conviction in 1998 was faulty

Joyous: Elizabeth Ramirez, center, is greeted by family after she, Cassandra Rivera and Kristie Mayhugh were released from the Bexar County Jail having been cleared of 1998 sexual assault charges

Joyous: Elizabeth Ramirez, center, is greeted by family after she, Cassandra Rivera and Kristie Mayhugh were released from the Bexar County Jail having been cleared of 1998 sexual assault charges

'You're beautiful!': Rivera was introduced to her granddaughter for the first time and could hardly contol her excitement. żI'm your grandma. I'm your grandma, baby'

'You're beautiful!': Rivera was introduced to her granddaughter for the first time and could hardly contol her excitement. żI'm your grandma. I'm your grandma, baby'

Sweet relief: Kristie Mayhugh waves from a car after her release Monday after 15 years in a San Antonio, Texas prison. The women were released after a judge deemed 1998 witness testimony faulty

Sweet relief: Kristie Mayhugh waves from a car after her release Monday after 15 years in a San Antonio, Texas prison. The women were released after a judge deemed 1998 witness testimony faulty

Faulty testimony: The three were convicted with Anna Vasquez in 1998 of assaulting two girls aged 7 and 9, in 1994. The girls testified that the women held them by their wrists and ankles, attacked them and threatened to kill them

Faulty testimony: The three were convicted with Anna Vasquez in 1998 of assaulting two girls aged 7 and 9, in 1994. The girls testified that the women held them by their wrists and ankles, attacked them and threatened to kill them

Rivera was introduced to her granddaughter for the first time. ‘I'm your grandma. I'm your grandma, baby. You're beautiful!’ she said with a gasp.

They walked past reporters without comment before they climbed into a minivan. As they left, family members repeated over and over to them, ‘I love you. I love you.’

 

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Before the women emerged, Gloria Herrera was anxious about reuniting with her daughter, Ramirez. ‘I've seen her, but I haven't held her,’ she said.

The women have not been exonerated formally, but Bexar County prosecutors have said they do not intend to retry them if the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals vacates the convictions.

The three and their attorneys were expected to describe their next steps in their pursuit of exoneration later this week. However, prosecutors do not agree with Mike Ware, one of the attorneys for the women, that they should be declared formally innocent - a distinction that would allow them to collect money Texas pays to the wrongfully imprisoned.

The women's release was delayed for about six hours by paperwork issues with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

The three were convicted with Anna Vasquez in 1998 of assaulting two of Ramirez's nieces, ages 7 and 9, in successive attacks during a week in 1994. The girls testified that the women held them by their wrists and ankles, attacked them and threatened to kill them.

Reunion: Rivera's family members were ecstatic to see their loved one freed Monday after 15 years behind bars for a crime she didn't commit

Reunion: Rivera's family members were ecstatic to see their loved one freed Monday after 15 years behind bars for a crime she didn't commit

Complete: Anna Vasquez, who was already paroled when the other three were released Monday, hugs one of her brothers in this November 2012 photo

Complete: Anna Vasquez, who was already paroled when the other three were released Monday, hugs one of her brothers in this November 2012 photo

This Sept. 5, 2012 photo, Elizabeth Ramirez, 38, one of four San Antonio women accused in 1994 of aggravated sexual assault
This Sept. 5, 2012 photo shows Cassandra Rivera, 37,one of four San Antonio women accused

Darker days: Ramirez (left) was given a 37-year prison sentence for the role prosecutors say she played in the 1994 crime. Rivera (right) and Mayhugh (below) received 15-year sentences

In this Sept. 4, 2012 photo, Kristie Mayhugh, 39, accused in 1994 of aggravated sexual assault of a child is interviewed at the Mountain View Unit, in Gatesville, Texas.

Ramirez was given a 37-year prison sentence. Mayhugh, Vasquez and Rivera were given 15-year sentences. Vasquez had already been paroled.

Their case came to the attention of attorneys affiliated with the non-profit Innocence Project of Texas more than a decade after the women were imprisoned. The group investigates potential wrongful conviction cases and Ware, who has worked on the case for two years, filed petitions on the women's behalf last month with the state appeals court.

They were convicted based on an expert's testimony that a vaginal injury sustained by the 9-year-old girl could have been caused by an assault. According to a petition filed by Ware, Dr. Nancy Kellogg testified that the injury in question happened around the time of the alleged assaults.

But her conclusions have since been discredited by current findings on science, attorneys have said. Kellogg declined an interview request from The Associated Press last week.

Texas has passed several laws to add new safeguards for eyewitness identification, DNA testing and other issues in response to a rash of wrongful-conviction cases.

Before their release: In this September 2012 photo, Elizabeth Ramirez, right, 38, and Cassandra Rivera, 37, both in the Hobby Unit in Marlin, Texas, wait to be escorted back to their rooms after being interviewed

Before their release: In this September 2012 photo, Elizabeth Ramirez, right, 38, and Cassandra Rivera, 37, both in the Hobby Unit in Marlin, Texas, wait to be escorted back to their rooms after being interviewed

Immortalized struggle: Anna Vasquez is greeted by Gloria Herrera during a Work-In-Progress screening of San Antonio Four a documentary by Deborah S. Esquenazi, on Thursday, November 14, 2013 in Austin

Immortalized struggle: Anna Vasquez is greeted by Gloria Herrera during a Work-In-Progress screening of San Antonio Four a documentary by Deborah S. Esquenazi, on Thursday, November 14, 2013 in Austin

Ware used one law passed this year to allow defendants to file appeals based on potential misuse of 'junk science' - something criminal justice advocates have targeted as a frequent cause of wrongful convictions.

‘It's a breath of fresh air,’ Vasquez told reporters after Ware announced earlier Monday that they would be released. ‘It's an awesome feeling. It's like a dream come true.’

Herrera said she and her daughter hadn't decided what they would do when Ramirez went free - other than she knew Ramirez wanted a pizza.

‘In the beginning there was no hope but this day has finally arrived,’ Herrera said. ‘I pray that this doesn't happen to anybody else.’



Comments (7)

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Jails in America must be full of innocent People. Far too many stories like this one where people have spent years behind bars for crimes that they didn't commit. it seems to me that in US the onus is on the suspects to prove their innocence rather than the prosecutors proving that suspects are guilty.

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American justice for poor people hasn't moved on from the Salem witch trials!

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A change desperately needs to be made. One should not be allowed to be convicted purely on the basis of someone's testimony. There needs to be hard solid forensic evidence.

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They left out the part about how the "victims" admitted that it was all made up. They spoke out about how their aunt or someone made them tell this whole made up story of abuse. Why wouldn't they include that in this article?

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More great work by the U.S. Justice system, the system just doesn't work anymore!!

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the Innocence Project estimates that about 50% of those convicted of major crimes where there are not multiple witnesses are probably innocent. So much for "evidence". Justice is a random lottery evidently.

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What a tragedy, false memories of children possibly, wrongful imprisonment, I hope the truth of all of this finally comes out for all concerned.

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