Man released after 16 years for murder he didn't commit

A Minnesota man has been acquitted of murder after serving 16 years in prison.

Edgar Barrientos-Quintana was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2009 for the murder of 18-year-old Jesse Mickelson in south Minneapolis.

It was alleged he killed Mickelson in a drive-by shooting a year earlier.

A three-year report released by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's Conviction Review Unit (CRU) cited serious problems with evidence and investigative procedures that led to a judge's ruling overturning the conviction earlier this week.

“Nothing can give back those 16 years to Mr. Barrientos-Quintana, and for that we are so sorry,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement.

The CRU says this case is only the third of over a thousand cases requiring a “second look” to result in a verdict being overturned.

“Significant damage” caused

The investigation's findings revealed several failings by the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), including coercive interrogation tactics, suggestive lineups, and the use of misleading photographic evidence.

Police allegedly showed witnesses an outdated photo of Barrientos-Quintana with a shaved head that matched the description of a bald suspect.

Security footage from the time of the murder showed Barrientos-Quintana with short, dark hair.

No evidence that could have exonerated him was presented to the court. Security footage showed him at a grocery store shortly before the shooting, while phone records captured him at his girlfriend's suburban apartment shortly after the crime.

The 180-page CRU report concluded that Barrientos-Quintana could not have traveled to the crime scene and back within the time frame suggested by prosecutors, but that information was not presented in court.

“Our thoughts are also with the family of Jesse Mickelson for their irreparable loss,” Moriarty said. “When the criminal justice system does not operate ethically, it causes significant harm.”

How was Barrientos-Quintana convicted of the shooting?

Judge John McBride, who overturned the conviction, called the state's case against Barrientos-Quintana “weak” and criticized both the defense's representation and the prosecution's failure to disclose favorable evidence.

In his ruling, McBride noted that if Barrientos-Quintana had received competent counsel and prosecutors had fulfilled their obligations, the jury might not have convicted him.

Sergeant Christopher Gaiters supervised the case.

The judge wrote to Gaiters: “Either he forgot one of the most important facts at the beginning of the investigation, or he committed perjury in order to convict Mr. Barrientos-Quintana.”

Police chief insists on police officer’s “professionalism.”

The Hennepin County District Attorney's Office immediately dismissed all charges.

Mickleson's sisters support the release, Judge Moriarty says, and look forward to seeing Barrientos-Quintana home in time for Thanksgiving.

Just a few months ago, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said he was pleased with the police investigation in the case.

“I am confident that the Minneapolis Police Department investigators acted with the utmost integrity and professionalism and followed all evidence available to them using proven investigative methods,” O'Hara said in September.

He described Gaiters this week as a “deeply committed and humble public servant” who will continue to serve the county in his role – deputy chief of community trust and engagement.

This article contains reporting from The Associated Press