Buffalo

Justice Delayed: $28 Million Verdict for Wrongfully Convicted Buffalo Man Highlights Systemic Misconduct

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Buffalo, New York — In a riveting conclusion to a decades-long struggle for justice, a jury awarded John Walker Jr. $28 million in a civil rights lawsuit, vindicating him against Erie County for his wrongful conviction in a 1976 murder case. Walker, along with Darryl Boyd and two other teenagers, was initially prosecuted under dubious circumstances that included the suppression of key evidence. Key to the prosecution’s case was the testimony of a fifth boy, while crucial photographs that could have exonerated the defendants went undisclosed. One photograph showed footprints leading away from the crime … Read more

Justice Prevails: Buffalo Man Awarded $28 Million After Two Decades of Wrongful Imprisonment

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — After more than two decades of wrongful imprisonment, John Walker Jr., a man once convicted of a crime he did not commit, has finally received justice through financial compensation. The erroneous conviction for a 1976 robbery and murder fundamentally altered Walker’s life and that of his cohort, Daryl Boyd. Both men, who were involved in what became known as the case of the Buffalo 5, saw their rights trampled by a flawed criminal justice system. On a significant ruling made this Tuesday, a jury concluded that the constitutional rights of John Walker … Read more

Buffalo Teen Convicted in 2023 Porch Shooting, Faces Life in Prison

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — A local teenager has been convicted of a murder that took place in Buffalo in August 2023. Jakai Lofton, 19, faced charges for his role in a deadly encounter that claimed the life of 21-year-old Quban Romell Najee Embry. After a trial spanning five days, the jury deliberated for just 90 minutes before finding Lofton guilty of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The tragic event unfolded on the front porch of a residence on Shirley Avenue, where Embry was fatally shot multiple times with an illegal firearm. The … Read more

Buffalo Strip Club Owner Convicted on Multiple Charges Including Drug and Sex Trafficking

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — After almost a week of intense deliberations, a federal jury has convicted Peter Gerace, the owner of the Pharaoh’s Gentlemen’s Club, on eight of the nine charges he faced. The accusations against Gerace included drug trafficking, sex trafficking, witness tampering, and bribery, culminating in a high-profile trial that lasted over seven weeks. The government’s case was bolstered by testimony from 45 witnesses, all summoned by the prosecution, alongside more than 100 pieces of evidence. Prosecutors described a grim scenario where Gerace allegedly exploited the drug dependencies of his club’s dancers. According to … Read more