WEBVTT - #025 Jason Flom with Anthony DiPippo 0:00:04.080 --> 0:00:05.880 I think we have the best legal system. 0:00:05.880 --> 0:00:09.280 It's just the people that implement they get lost along 0:00:09.320 --> 0:00:13.200 the way and forget what their job really is. He 0:00:13.360 --> 0:00:15.960 just kept on trying to remind me that who was 0:00:15.960 --> 0:00:19.200 in authority, who was in control, and how easy it 0:00:19.480 --> 0:00:23.760 was for my body to be found in any alley 0:00:23.800 --> 0:00:24.760 of New York City. 0:00:25.800 --> 0:00:28.479 It's a tough prison when you have the guards going 0:00:28.520 --> 0:00:31.880 against you because they are the biggest gang in the prison. 0:00:33.120 --> 0:00:33.680 They do that. 0:00:33.720 --> 0:00:36.080 They'll give a guy a life sentence and go home 0:00:36.080 --> 0:00:40.159 in eat spaghetti like it was nothing. And anybody that said, well, 0:00:40.200 --> 0:00:42.319 why would you confess to something that you didn't do? 0:00:42.840 --> 0:00:45.400 My question to them will be why wouldn't you confess 0:00:45.520 --> 0:00:47.400 when somebody's threatening to kill your life? 0:00:48.800 --> 0:00:49.320 You judge? 0:00:49.400 --> 0:00:51.520 He said, how you feel? I said, I'm okay. 0:00:51.920 --> 0:00:55.280 He said, well, the days you're lucky, day you're going home. 0:00:56.840 --> 0:01:14.920 This is wrongful conviction. Welcome back to Wrongful Conviction with 0:01:15.040 --> 0:01:19.520 Jason Flomm. Today's guest is a larger than life character 0:01:19.720 --> 0:01:21.640 in every way. Anthony di Pippo. 0:01:21.959 --> 0:01:24.720 Anthony di Pippo went behind bars as a nineteen year 0:01:24.720 --> 0:01:27.720 old troublemaker, but insists he was never the killer. They 0:01:27.720 --> 0:01:28.360 said he was. 0:01:28.520 --> 0:01:31.040 After twenty years in prison for a crime the courts 0:01:31.080 --> 0:01:32.600 now say he did not commit. 0:01:32.720 --> 0:01:35.319 The jury and Putnam County found him not guilty in 0:01:35.360 --> 0:01:37.920 the nineteen ninety four rape and murder of twelve year 0:01:37.959 --> 0:01:38.839 old Josette Wright. 0:01:39.000 --> 0:01:41.039 This was his third trial for the same crime. 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:44.960 The previous convictions were overturned, then on Tuesday an acquittal. 0:01:45.360 --> 0:01:47.760 The main witness against him was a former girlfriend who 0:01:47.760 --> 0:01:50.480 said she witnessed the attack, but the jury didn't buy. 0:01:50.720 --> 0:01:52.920 What we learned at this trial is that the eyewitness 0:01:52.960 --> 0:01:55.680 was incredible. In the third trial, the defense was allowed 0:01:55.720 --> 0:01:58.360 to suggest Howard Gombert is the real killer, seen with 0:01:58.400 --> 0:02:01.240 the victims shortly before her disappear yearans and currently in 0:02:01.280 --> 0:02:04.480 a Connecticut prison on sex assault charges. The Putnam County 0:02:04.520 --> 0:02:07.680 District Attorney, though, isn't backing down. He insists not guilty 0:02:07.920 --> 0:02:09.120 is not the same as innocent. 0:02:09.600 --> 0:02:12.960 He was freed six months ago. Anthony, Welcome to the show. 0:02:13.000 --> 0:02:14.760 Great to be on the show. Thank you for having me. 0:02:15.000 --> 0:02:15.160 So. 0:02:15.480 --> 0:02:19.000 Anthony is a very interesting guy. I've gotten to know 0:02:19.120 --> 0:02:21.520 him well over the last several months since he's been 0:02:21.520 --> 0:02:23.640 out of prison. And when I say he's a larger 0:02:23.680 --> 0:02:27.080 than life character, what are you six' five almost six y. Six, 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:32.760 yeah he looks like a gentle. Giant so just gregarious 0:02:32.840 --> 0:02:35.680 and funny and fun to be. Around and so it 0:02:35.760 --> 0:02:41.280 really belies the incredible saga that you've lived, through how 0:02:41.320 --> 0:02:45.280 you came out with your spirits so so strong and so, 0:02:45.680 --> 0:02:48.400 positive and it gives me a lot of joy just 0:02:48.480 --> 0:02:50.000 hanging around with. You So i'm glad to have you. 0:02:50.040 --> 0:02:52.040 Here, well thank. You you, KNOW i try to live 0:02:52.080 --> 0:02:54.040 in for the moment and for the future and not 0:02:54.080 --> 0:02:56.760 in the. PAST i did twenty years wrongfully full so 0:02:56.880 --> 0:02:59.120 accus of CRIMES i didn't. Commit and it's a privilege 0:02:59.160 --> 0:03:00.920 to be back in. Society you, know a lot of 0:03:00.919 --> 0:03:03.160 people in my situation don't get to make it. 0:03:03.240 --> 0:03:05.560 Here, yeah that's. True in, fact we'll get to. It 0:03:05.639 --> 0:03:08.520 the guy who was lawfully convicted with you is not 0:03:08.639 --> 0:03:11.520 here because he's still locked up for the same, crime 0:03:11.520 --> 0:03:14.760 which is crazy because you've been. Exonerated and let's go 0:03:14.840 --> 0:03:16.800 back to the time of the. CRIME i, mean you 0:03:16.840 --> 0:03:19.519 were still a, kid, right, right which is which makes 0:03:19.520 --> 0:03:22.079 it extra, tragic right because the fact that you lost those. 0:03:22.160 --> 0:03:24.600 Years so you grew up where. 0:03:24.600 --> 0:03:26.200 In, Carmel New, York, Carmon New. 0:03:26.240 --> 0:03:27.760 York nice, place pretty nice. 0:03:27.760 --> 0:03:31.720 Place it's picking fences and people who are just living. 0:03:31.760 --> 0:03:35.160 Life is one of the safest communities according to The 0:03:35.200 --> 0:03:36.160 state to live. 0:03:36.160 --> 0:03:38.960 In so you had a relatively happy childhood growing up In, 0:03:39.160 --> 0:03:42.480 carmel and things are going. Good you play, sports. 0:03:42.320 --> 0:03:44.520 You, KNOW i was involved in wrestling in, school AND 0:03:44.960 --> 0:03:47.480 i wasn't involved with, baseball football and all of. That 0:03:47.600 --> 0:03:49.560 but you, KNOW i was doing a lot of stuff 0:03:49.600 --> 0:03:52.680 that normal kids, don't AND i did come to an age, 0:03:52.720 --> 0:03:55.560 where you, KNOW i began experimenting with drugs AND i 0:03:55.640 --> 0:03:58.320 kind of went south on, everything and that kind of 0:03:58.400 --> 0:04:01.480 led me down the path to how the police started 0:04:01.480 --> 0:04:04.280 to focus in on me as a personal interest just 0:04:04.320 --> 0:04:06.600 because of WHAT i was. DOING i, mean we weren't 0:04:07.120 --> 0:04:11.280 out threatening people or robbing, people committing sexual assault, crimes 0:04:11.360 --> 0:04:13.960 but you, know we were using and selling, drugs and 0:04:13.960 --> 0:04:16.080 we were dressing up and we were playing the. Part you, 0:04:16.120 --> 0:04:18.839 know as the culture shows. That you, know when you're a, 0:04:18.920 --> 0:04:22.120 kid you kind of go certain. Way you're listening to rap, 0:04:22.200 --> 0:04:25.880 music listening to you easily. Influenced these influencers affected, me 0:04:26.200 --> 0:04:27.640 AND i left school. 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:29.640 Sort of like a knock around. Guy but you weren't hurting. 0:04:29.680 --> 0:04:32.640 Anybody, no it wasn't my. GOAL i didn't wake up 0:04:32.680 --> 0:04:34.719 in the morning to, say, Oh i'm going to rape, 0:04:34.720 --> 0:04:37.160 somebody Or i'm going to go rob, somebody Or i'm gonna hurt. 0:04:37.200 --> 0:04:40.039 Somebody but at the same, time we were. Youths we 0:04:40.080 --> 0:04:42.880 were criminal. THINKERS i, mean it. Happens i'm not a 0:04:42.880 --> 0:04:45.240 criminal thinker. TODAY i like to think of myself as 0:04:45.240 --> 0:04:46.000 a mature human. 0:04:46.040 --> 0:04:49.919 Being many of us have had our transgressions at that. 0:04:50.000 --> 0:04:52.760 Age so things are going along pretty. Well you're having 0:04:52.760 --> 0:04:55.240 your different issues, whatever some of your teenage things that 0:04:55.240 --> 0:04:56.680 are going. On you got to get, through like a 0:04:56.680 --> 0:04:59.560 lot of. People and then a crazy thing happens in the, 0:04:59.560 --> 0:05:03.360 community which is a twelve year old girl was raped and. Murdered, 0:05:03.560 --> 0:05:07.240 right we're talking nineteen ninety four, Now, yes her name 0:05:07.279 --> 0:05:09.800 Was Josette, Right Josette, Right and this must have been 0:05:10.040 --> 0:05:11.560 big news in the community like. 0:05:11.600 --> 0:05:13.839 That it was huge. News it was in the. Newspapers 0:05:13.920 --> 0:05:16.840 everybody was talking about. It the entire police forces in 0:05:16.880 --> 0:05:19.479 the community got together and they were trying to solve this. 0:05:19.600 --> 0:05:21.679 Crime, well it took a long time to find. 0:05:21.520 --> 0:05:24.240 It, right thirteen. Months she was last seen In october 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:28.200 of nineteen ninety, four and her skeletal remains were found 0:05:28.400 --> 0:05:32.120 In november nineteen ninety. Five and so they find this 0:05:32.200 --> 0:05:34.840 girl in the. Woods rope is attached to, her her 0:05:34.880 --> 0:05:37.840 hands were bound behind her, back the right leg was 0:05:37.920 --> 0:05:41.000 pulled up and the rope went around the neck and 0:05:41.160 --> 0:05:44.280 sort of a half hog tied. POSITION i don't want 0:05:44.279 --> 0:05:47.880 to be, graphic but the underwear was inside of her 0:05:47.920 --> 0:05:50.360 mouth and the bro was tied around her. Face and 0:05:50.480 --> 0:05:54.080 she was found, prone face, down and she decomposed in that. 0:05:54.279 --> 0:05:57.200 Position and this is where things start to get really, weird, 0:05:57.279 --> 0:06:00.880 right because now you have a, REAL i, Mean i'm 0:06:00.880 --> 0:06:04.320 getting the shills thinking about, it a really terrifying. Scenario. 0:06:04.560 --> 0:06:07.160 Right it's the most horrible you can imagine. 0:06:06.720 --> 0:06:10.760 Everybody's worst, NIGHTMARE a little, girl innocent found in having 0:06:10.800 --> 0:06:15.240 been tortured and. Killed and now the pressure, mounts right 0:06:15.279 --> 0:06:16.719 the cops they got a fin her who did, it 0:06:16.720 --> 0:06:18.000 but for a lot of, reasons it was. 0:06:18.400 --> 0:06:22.000 Re electioneer for the, sheriff and so everybody wanted this case. 0:06:22.080 --> 0:06:25.280 Solved so they started looking at, people and one of 0:06:25.320 --> 0:06:27.359 the people they were looking at was a guy Named Howard, 0:06:27.360 --> 0:06:30.680 gombert who had later had confessed that he committed this 0:06:30.800 --> 0:06:34.280 crime to several. Individuals she was last seen getting into 0:06:34.320 --> 0:06:36.880 his red car with The connecticut license. Plates, now the 0:06:36.920 --> 0:06:41.360 woman eye witness that seene this identified his photo out 0:06:41.400 --> 0:06:43.880 of a photo ray as if anybody number, two he 0:06:44.000 --> 0:06:45.960 was number. TWO i wasn't in the, photo, right AND 0:06:46.000 --> 0:06:48.360 i didn't drive a red. Car Howard gombert did drive 0:06:48.400 --> 0:06:51.640 a red car With connecticut. Plates so you have this 0:06:51.760 --> 0:06:53.919 girl getting in a red car fifteen minutes after she 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:56.159 walks out of her house for the last, time which 0:06:56.240 --> 0:06:58.960 is a stone strow away from her. Home now she's 0:06:59.000 --> 0:07:01.880 not seen. Again the next time they find, her she's 0:07:01.880 --> 0:07:04.279 in the woods in this. Condition WHEN i went to, 0:07:04.279 --> 0:07:06.800 TRIAL i didn't know about this, Guy Howard. Gombert my 0:07:06.960 --> 0:07:10.600 attorney had previously represented him on a rape, charge so 0:07:10.640 --> 0:07:14.280 he received the pre trial discovery material that implicated his former, 0:07:14.320 --> 0:07:15.280 client this Guy Howard. 0:07:15.280 --> 0:07:17.080 Gombert it's not there for a, second. Right this is 0:07:17.080 --> 0:07:20.400 where things get really. Weird the fact is the attorney 0:07:20.480 --> 0:07:24.560 who was representing you had previously represented the guy who 0:07:24.640 --> 0:07:28.960 was the actual, suspect, correct which is totally, FORBIDDEN i 0:07:28.960 --> 0:07:31.880 mean an, unethical not, allowed whatever you want to call. 0:07:31.960 --> 0:07:35.280 It any lawyer knows that they can't do, that and in, 0:07:35.360 --> 0:07:38.760 fact he withheld information that he had that would have 0:07:38.800 --> 0:07:43.360 implicated his former client and ended up screwing in the 0:07:43.360 --> 0:07:45.280 most And i'm excusing a very nice word for, it 0:07:45.280 --> 0:07:49.360 screwing you his current. Client it's so backwards and so 0:07:49.440 --> 0:07:52.760 conflicted and so fucked, up honestly that people can't even 0:07:52.800 --> 0:07:55.720 imagine that this goes. On but it. Does but let's 0:07:55.760 --> 0:07:59.760 go back to how this, started, right because it started 0:07:59.800 --> 0:08:00.760 with guy Named. 0:08:00.880 --> 0:08:04.560 Gombret but we're doing the week they found her, remains 0:08:04.680 --> 0:08:07.920 so they got this eyewitness. Testimony that, week they also 0:08:08.080 --> 0:08:11.600 interviewed people That Howard gombert knew That they were saying 0:08:12.000 --> 0:08:14.480 he was trying to entice her into a babysitting, job 0:08:14.840 --> 0:08:17.520 and that he was flirting with her and he was 0:08:17.560 --> 0:08:21.440 acting strange around. Her so the cops are focusing on 0:08:21.520 --> 0:08:25.520 this Guy. Gombert but now we're driving along To Jersey. 0:08:25.560 --> 0:08:27.800 City we go to a. Rave LIKE i, said we 0:08:27.800 --> 0:08:30.560 were using and selling. Drugs we were coming back from 0:08:30.640 --> 0:08:33.360 this rave and we get pulled. Over, now while we 0:08:33.360 --> 0:08:36.080 were in the. Car president in the car was Me Dominic, 0:08:36.120 --> 0:08:39.400 neglia who was the later, informant And Andrew, kreevak who 0:08:39.440 --> 0:08:42.400 became my co. Defendant we're in this car and we're 0:08:42.440 --> 0:08:45.160 talking just candidly about they just found this girl in the. 0:08:45.160 --> 0:08:48.560 Woods so when we got, arrested Dominic neglia told the 0:08:48.600 --> 0:08:52.480 police that we might have information on that. Case so 0:08:52.520 --> 0:08:54.679 they whisked him away and they promised to treat him 0:08:54.720 --> 0:08:56.880 with some special treatment to get him off his drug 0:08:56.960 --> 0:09:00.640 charges or whatever if he would further give information upon 0:09:00.760 --> 0:09:01.920 us about what we were talking. 0:09:01.960 --> 0:09:03.640 About it was only, sixteen, right he was. 0:09:03.679 --> 0:09:08.080 Seventeen we were talking about basic newspaper. Knowledge we weren't talking, 0:09:08.120 --> 0:09:11.559 about you, know implied knowledge that we actually participated in his. 0:09:11.679 --> 0:09:14.600 Crime so then what happened from there was that Dominic 0:09:14.640 --> 0:09:17.680 negli was repeatedly pulled out of his, school pulled out 0:09:17.720 --> 0:09:19.600 of his, job until he got. Fired he worked at 0:09:19.600 --> 0:09:22.280 The olive garden until he was brought to the police 0:09:22.280 --> 0:09:27.240 station for several hours of, interrogation and this Detective, Castalo 0:09:27.360 --> 0:09:30.679 Patrick costalo and his other Detective William quick were telling 0:09:30.760 --> 0:09:34.400 him they have to get information against, me otherwise he's 0:09:34.440 --> 0:09:36.240 going to go to prison for his. Charges and they 0:09:36.240 --> 0:09:38.440 were paying him money and they were beating him. Up 0:09:38.440 --> 0:09:40.760 at the same. Time he, SAID i don't want to 0:09:40.800 --> 0:09:42.720 do this. Anymore he came to a point where he, 0:09:42.760 --> 0:09:45.120 says EVERYTHING i said was a. FABRICATION i don't want 0:09:45.120 --> 0:09:48.120 to do this. Anymore So, castaldo who was later indicted 0:09:48.120 --> 0:09:51.080 for this similar, conduct hit the guy in the head 0:09:51.160 --> 0:09:53.040 with the handcuffs and spin on. Him said you ain't 0:09:53.040 --> 0:09:56.160 got no other. Choice so he said. Fine he came 0:09:56.240 --> 0:09:59.440 back and, said all, right they wanted. WITNESSES i got 0:09:59.480 --> 0:10:03.600 your Witness Adam, Wilson Denise, rose And bill. McGregor supposedly 0:10:03.640 --> 0:10:05.920 this crime happened in the van and they were. There 0:10:06.440 --> 0:10:09.280 so the cops took this information and went To Denise 0:10:09.360 --> 0:10:11.400 rose and threatened her were life in prison for three. 0:10:11.480 --> 0:10:14.199 Weeks was your girlfriend, Right, yeah we were seeing each 0:10:14.240 --> 0:10:17.320 other on and, off and at the time shortly prior 0:10:17.360 --> 0:10:19.200 to her given a, statement we were seeing each. Other 0:10:19.240 --> 0:10:21.400 but THEN i broke up with, her which you, know 0:10:21.480 --> 0:10:23.520 it's not the cause of why she did this to, 0:10:23.559 --> 0:10:26.920 me but it probably contributed because some woman are, scorn you, 0:10:26.960 --> 0:10:29.959 know they get a certain feeling towards, something and so 0:10:30.120 --> 0:10:33.000 she became a witness against. Me, now remember WHAT i 0:10:33.040 --> 0:10:34.960 told you about how the body was tied. Up she 0:10:35.120 --> 0:10:37.480 said the girl was. Gagged their hands were tied in 0:10:37.480 --> 0:10:39.439 the front and the rope was tied to nothing. Else 0:10:39.720 --> 0:10:42.760 with the Forensic evinance's contrary to, that with the police 0:10:42.880 --> 0:10:45.360 were mistaken because the finger bones not to be graphic, 0:10:45.400 --> 0:10:47.200 here but the finger bones felt to the rib, cage 0:10:47.240 --> 0:10:49.400 so they wanted a mistaken impression the girl's hands were 0:10:49.400 --> 0:10:52.880 tied in the, front so they spoon fed this To Denise. 0:10:52.960 --> 0:10:55.880 Rose So Denise rose parrots, this so she swears that 0:10:55.880 --> 0:10:57.440 the hands were tied in the. Front, now if your 0:10:57.480 --> 0:10:58.800 hands are tied in the front and you're gagged in 0:10:58.800 --> 0:11:01.080 the mouth and you're being an attacked to whatever you're 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:03.160 going to be able to, pull you reach up to 0:11:03.200 --> 0:11:05.600 him out to pull the gag out and bread if 0:11:05.600 --> 0:11:09.360 the theory of death is. Asphixiation but we were later 0:11:09.480 --> 0:11:11.920 able to find out that this, Guy Howard, gombert did 0:11:11.920 --> 0:11:15.199 this the ten other girls with the same type of 0:11:15.240 --> 0:11:15.719 bondage and. 0:11:15.720 --> 0:11:18.719 Stuff why did the, cops in your, opinion when they 0:11:18.760 --> 0:11:20.800 had the guy who turned out to be the right, 0:11:20.840 --> 0:11:23.520 guy This gomber, right wrong, guy, right however you want 0:11:23.520 --> 0:11:25.920 to talk about, It they had the actual, perpetrator, Right 0:11:26.600 --> 0:11:29.640 how did they go so far? Wrong they were interviewing, 0:11:29.679 --> 0:11:32.360 him they were interrogating. Him, right they had it. Right 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:34.400 all they had to do WAS i, mean this thing 0:11:34.440 --> 0:11:36.920 pretty much came with, instructions, right you had the red, 0:11:37.000 --> 0:11:40.680 car you had the, witnesses you had and then ultimately 0:11:40.960 --> 0:11:43.839 it comes out that he's this serial. Predator. RIGHT i 0:11:43.840 --> 0:11:45.440 don't know if they had that information at that, time 0:11:45.679 --> 0:11:47.040 but why did they go off of? 0:11:47.160 --> 0:11:51.120 Him LIKE i, said Dominic neglia and then From Denise 0:11:51.200 --> 0:11:54.080 rose and went on To Adam, wilson, who since we, can't, 0:11:54.080 --> 0:11:56.040 did and Then bill, McGregor, who since we can't. Did, 0:11:56.200 --> 0:11:59.320 supposedly the, crime The deirya to crime was that we 0:11:59.400 --> 0:12:01.520 got so high in a van we played spin the 0:12:01.520 --> 0:12:04.360 bottle and the girl just wound up dead That andy 0:12:04.400 --> 0:12:06.600 attacked or stuffed their mouth with the underwear tight her 0:12:06.600 --> 0:12:09.120 hands in, front and then he went first for a 0:12:09.120 --> 0:12:10.959 minute and a, half and then SUPPOSEDLY i went first 0:12:10.960 --> 0:12:13.839 for a, minute and then supposedly we were supposed to 0:12:13.920 --> 0:12:16.520 dump the. Body now this is all a fabrication to begin, 0:12:16.600 --> 0:12:20.120 With but the people that were supposedly playing spin The, 0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:23.600 bottle who were falsely identified By Dominic, neglia had recanted. 0:12:23.640 --> 0:12:26.839 It So Adam wilson, says after twelve to fifteen hour 0:12:26.880 --> 0:12:29.960 interrogation With Dan, stevens the same guy that Cohorse Jeffrey, 0:12:30.000 --> 0:12:32.600 deskovic was using a light detective. Test and we all 0:12:32.600 --> 0:12:36.720 know That Jeffrey dskovic is innocent BECAUSE dna established a 0:12:36.760 --> 0:12:39.320 real killer and a real kill. Confess gave the same 0:12:39.360 --> 0:12:41.560 type of lie detective tests to my Friend Adam, wilson 0:12:42.080 --> 0:12:44.599 and he signed the paper but immediately. Recanted went just 0:12:44.720 --> 0:12:47.200 probation officer the next day said the story is. UNTRUE 0:12:47.240 --> 0:12:48.959 i was not in a. Van the cops threatened. Me 0:12:49.040 --> 0:12:50.760 they SAID i was going to be charged as an 0:12:50.760 --> 0:12:54.080 accomplished and accessory to murder AND i wouldn't be able 0:12:54.120 --> 0:12:56.800 to go. Home so he signed a statement and. Recanned 0:12:56.800 --> 0:12:59.640 the next. Day bill, McGregor he. Recanted it took him 0:12:59.640 --> 0:13:02.480 ten years to, recant but he. Recanted gave us a 0:13:02.480 --> 0:13:06.119 sworn After david that cops threatening with accessory or accomplished 0:13:06.120 --> 0:13:08.560 to murder unless he put me in a. Van and 0:13:08.600 --> 0:13:10.640 he said he never Met josette right in his, life 0:13:10.840 --> 0:13:13.080 and he said he doesn't know Who Denise rose was 0:13:13.320 --> 0:13:15.800 until ninety, six two years after the, crime when the 0:13:15.840 --> 0:13:19.320 police Introduced Denise rose to, him and they Had Denise 0:13:19.360 --> 0:13:21.280 rose try to spoon feed him the story while he's 0:13:21.280 --> 0:13:23.000 in the police, department because he only said he fell 0:13:23.040 --> 0:13:24.480 asleep during the crime and woke up at. 0:13:24.480 --> 0:13:28.360 Home this is making my head, hurt, Right so they Have, gombert, 0:13:28.640 --> 0:13:32.280 right and then this terrible sequence of events happens where 0:13:32.280 --> 0:13:35.920 they pull you guys over and then that turns into 0:13:36.000 --> 0:13:38.480 exactly what we just talked. About but then at the 0:13:38.520 --> 0:13:41.360 same time they must have, said all, right, well we're 0:13:41.400 --> 0:13:43.360 gonna let this Guy gombert go because we think we 0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:46.120 got a different. Lead is that basically how you understand? 0:13:46.120 --> 0:13:46.680 It because it's so. 0:13:46.800 --> 0:13:50.080 Weird he asked a critical, question how did the focus 0:13:50.160 --> 0:13:54.320 shift Off gombert to? Us So Dominic neglia in my, 0:13:54.480 --> 0:13:57.320 view was that? Shift is there anything more to? It 0:13:57.360 --> 0:14:01.040 were they Protecting? GOMBERT i don't. Know ALL i know 0:14:01.320 --> 0:14:05.080 is that guilt was shift to the actually innocent by the, 0:14:05.120 --> 0:14:09.480 police who either did so maliciously or by. Mistake but 0:14:09.600 --> 0:14:12.480 it was, done and we wound up spending the next 0:14:12.520 --> 0:14:15.440 twenty years And Andy stole in jail for crimes we didn't. 0:14:15.440 --> 0:14:18.840 COMMIT i don't know why the cops wanted us so, 0:14:19.000 --> 0:14:22.000 badly but it just. Happened it was a twenty year 0:14:22.080 --> 0:14:24.920 struggle to get out of, prison And god bless. Us 0:14:25.040 --> 0:14:27.040 i'm here and we're gonna Get andy. 0:14:27.040 --> 0:14:28.840 Out, yeah we're gonna get him. Out the question Is, 0:14:29.000 --> 0:14:30.360 gombert what happened to? Him? 0:14:30.960 --> 0:14:33.680 So CAN i just tell the story About Howard? Gombert so, 0:14:33.960 --> 0:14:37.800 yeah people can, understand all. Right Howard gombert is incarcerated 0:14:37.800 --> 0:14:39.880 now for taking an eight year old girl in, woods 0:14:40.200 --> 0:14:42.320 threatening her with. Death i'm not going to name names 0:14:42.360 --> 0:14:44.440 because these people are some of them are still. Living 0:14:44.560 --> 0:14:47.080 he threatens her with, death he sexual assaults. Her in 0:14:47.120 --> 0:14:50.320 the last eleven years of his, freedom he was charged 0:14:50.400 --> 0:14:53.440 four time series sex crimes on one girl he was 0:14:53.480 --> 0:14:57.440 abusing from when she was eight to. Eighteen would repeatedly 0:14:57.520 --> 0:14:59.600 tie her up and put the underwear in her mouth 0:14:59.640 --> 0:15:01.720 and tire her hands behind her back with various, things 0:15:01.720 --> 0:15:05.000 including the. Rope he was sixty four days prior to 0:15:05.040 --> 0:15:06.960 the girl that went. Missing in my, Case joe's that, 0:15:07.080 --> 0:15:09.400 Right and this is very critical right, here and this 0:15:09.480 --> 0:15:13.200 is HOW i Know gomber is, guilty is that he 0:15:13.240 --> 0:15:17.520 abducted his other, babysitter blonde, hair blue, eyes strikingly similar 0:15:17.640 --> 0:15:20.480 characteristics at knife. POINT a knife was also found at 0:15:20.480 --> 0:15:23.000 the crime. Scene he jumps out of the trees and 0:15:23.040 --> 0:15:25.520 abducts her a, knife point ties her hands behind her, 0:15:25.560 --> 0:15:29.600 back and repeatedly sexually Assaultser i'm not going to identify 0:15:29.640 --> 0:15:32.840 no names here. This but he put the underwear in her, 0:15:32.880 --> 0:15:35.800 mount he tied something around her. Face this is an 0:15:35.800 --> 0:15:39.680 identical modus opera and di with a, babysitter and he 0:15:39.760 --> 0:15:42.160 was Enticing jose at the. Babysit she. Quit she went 0:15:42.160 --> 0:15:44.480 to the police. Department while the police report that night 0:15:44.880 --> 0:15:48.720 documented all this, down documented. This she didn't Identify Howard 0:15:48.720 --> 0:15:51.200 gombert in the police report because later she said she was. 0:15:51.240 --> 0:15:53.440 Scared but she did call. Us we didn't know who she. 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:56.000 Existed she did call us and, said this is what. 0:15:56.120 --> 0:15:59.280 Happened Howard gombert did this to. Me so she comes 0:15:59.320 --> 0:16:02.880 forward with. This the modus operandi is distinct and. Unique 0:16:02.880 --> 0:16:06.320 this wasn't an. Accident this wasn't somebody who created the 0:16:06.480 --> 0:16:09.240 girl around a gas station for two, hours like the prosecution, 0:16:09.400 --> 0:16:11.560 said for the entire views and pleasure of the town Of. 0:16:11.600 --> 0:16:13.920 Carmel this is somebody that jumped out of the darkness 0:16:13.960 --> 0:16:16.080 and fled back off into the. Night, NOW i just 0:16:16.120 --> 0:16:18.200 want to build a little bit more On Howard Gombert 0:16:18.320 --> 0:16:20.960 Howard gombert was also seen six months later With Robin 0:16:21.040 --> 0:16:25.720 murphy seventeen who's still, missing And Robin. Murphy they were 0:16:25.760 --> 0:16:28.840 seen at this laundry matt they were. Together years, later 0:16:28.880 --> 0:16:32.280 they would Find Robin murphy's underwear bearing HER dna eight 0:16:32.320 --> 0:16:34.520 billion to one odds that it was HER dna and 0:16:34.560 --> 0:16:38.200 a trophy suitcase maintained By Howard gombert with some underwear 0:16:38.240 --> 0:16:41.280 from his other rape. Victims her necklace what we believed 0:16:41.280 --> 0:16:43.320 to be her necklace was hanging from his rear view, 0:16:43.320 --> 0:16:45.560 mirror and when the cops arrested him for the last 0:16:45.640 --> 0:16:48.119 charge of the eight year, old they found this material 0:16:48.440 --> 0:16:52.360 and they tested. It now years go by after, that he's, 0:16:52.400 --> 0:16:56.880 incarcerated serving time in the McDougall Walker Correctional, facility where 0:16:56.920 --> 0:17:00.640 he proceeds to tell a fellow jail inmate that he 0:17:00.880 --> 0:17:04.280 had sex With josette right when she went, missing and 0:17:04.320 --> 0:17:07.120 that they'll never Find Robin murphy's, remains and that they 0:17:07.119 --> 0:17:09.760 have material With Robert MURPHY'S dna on, it and that 0:17:09.840 --> 0:17:12.119 he was trying to Entice josette the babysit and that 0:17:12.200 --> 0:17:14.200 he got her in the car with the babysitting. Lore 0:17:14.400 --> 0:17:17.360 now all these statements or declarations against penal interest made 0:17:17.359 --> 0:17:20.760 By Howard gombert in The Connecticut Correctional institution that are 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:25.879 corroborated by proof independent of the statements, themselves to attest 0:17:25.920 --> 0:17:29.560 to the trustworthiness and reliability which culminated in my third 0:17:29.600 --> 0:17:32.200 reversal because of the second, charal the judge didn't allow 0:17:32.240 --> 0:17:33.959 any of this in you don't let the jury hear 0:17:33.960 --> 0:17:34.480 the Name Howard. 0:17:34.480 --> 0:17:37.320 Gombert so there's a number of things here that anybody 0:17:37.320 --> 0:17:41.159 who has any thread of decency and cares about, women 0:17:41.560 --> 0:17:46.040 the girls in this, case, right the idea is so 0:17:47.160 --> 0:17:51.679 fucking outrageous that this guy was allowed by the authorities 0:17:51.720 --> 0:17:55.600 to go free and went on to commit these unspeakable 0:17:55.680 --> 0:18:00.080 crimes against these young women over and over, again and 0:18:00.119 --> 0:18:02.280 it took them so long to figure it out when 0:18:02.440 --> 0:18:04.800 none of those things ever really needed to happen if 0:18:04.800 --> 0:18:07.320 they would have done it right the first, time forgetting 0:18:07.359 --> 0:18:09.199 for a moment the fact that you were robbed of 0:18:09.200 --> 0:18:12.840 the best years of your, life as Was. Krevak but 0:18:13.080 --> 0:18:16.400 that's what never ceases to blow me away about the 0:18:16.440 --> 0:18:19.800 idea that these law enforcement, people whether it's prosecutors or 0:18:20.080 --> 0:18:22.720 cops in some, cases or whatever it, is that they 0:18:23.040 --> 0:18:26.879 can sleep at night knowing that they're locking up the wrong, 0:18:26.920 --> 0:18:29.280 guy and especially in a case like, this and it's 0:18:29.400 --> 0:18:32.000 just a tragedy that you see here and. Go it 0:18:32.000 --> 0:18:34.080 could have been. Prevented it didn't have to. Happen none 0:18:34.119 --> 0:18:36.600 has had to. Happen they had the. GUY i, mean 0:18:37.160 --> 0:18:39.359 it wasn't like a big. Mystery they had the. GUYS i, 0:18:39.359 --> 0:18:40.879 MEAN i know you must have had, well you had 0:18:40.880 --> 0:18:42.639 twenty years to think about, this BUT i, mean you, 0:18:42.640 --> 0:18:46.119 know it's just it's SO i can't. 0:18:47.720 --> 0:18:50.800 You, KNOW i look at it like, this, Right i'm home. 0:18:50.880 --> 0:18:53.439 NOW i was victimized by not only the police, department 0:18:53.480 --> 0:18:55.760 but this, Guy Howard. GOMBERT i had served his prison. 0:18:55.800 --> 0:18:59.720 Time andy is serving his prison. Time, collectively it's forty 0:18:59.760 --> 0:19:02.720 one years in prison that we're doing for this guy 0:19:02.800 --> 0:19:06.000 as heinous. Individual some of these girls that he did 0:19:06.000 --> 0:19:08.800 this too with my. FRIENDS i don't know everybody that 0:19:08.880 --> 0:19:10.679 he did this, tool but some of them were my. 0:19:10.720 --> 0:19:13.879 Friends so we knew these girls growing. Up and to 0:19:13.960 --> 0:19:17.040 find out years later that this is what he. Did Even, 0:19:17.119 --> 0:19:18.960 JOSETTE i was friends with the. SISTERS i was friends 0:19:18.960 --> 0:19:22.600 with the. Family i'm at odds with the family because 0:19:23.000 --> 0:19:25.080