1 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: Hey guys, it's Laura and I writer. Welcome to a 2 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 1: special bonus episode of Wrongful Conviction, False Confessions. We've gotten 3 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: an overwhelming response to this week's story about Daniel Viegas 4 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: and to the video we posted on Instagram and Twitter 5 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:21,440 Speaker 1: showing the moment he learned the jury's verdict, so we're 6 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: releasing a bonus episode a conversation I had with Daniel 7 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: when I sat down with him in Austin, Texas two 8 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: months ago. You know, after everything we've been through together, 9 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:36,600 Speaker 1: Daniel's not just a former client, he's a friend. We 10 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: talked about what it was like waiting for the jury 11 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 1: to announce its verdict, how he'd prepared his children for 12 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:45,639 Speaker 1: the possibility he might not be coming home, and how 13 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: it feels to finally focus on the future. If you 14 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: haven't heard his full story, it's right here in the 15 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: podcast feed, just under this bonus episode. And if you've 16 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: yet to watch Daniel's exoneration video, check it out on 17 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 1: Instagram at ung Full Conviction. It's an incredible opportunity for 18 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: all of us to bear witness to freedom. Daniel. I'm 19 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: so glad you're here with us today. 20 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 2: Yes, I'm glad to be here too, thank you. 21 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, So tell me what's going on for you right 22 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: now in your life. You've been out how many years? 23 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 2: Six years? Now? Six years? 24 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 1: And tell me what you're doing with your life. 25 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 3: At this point in the stage in my life, it's 26 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 3: you know, we're not dealing with the hecticness of trial 27 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 3: and all that stuff. So now I'm focusing on what 28 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 3: I'm going to do for the future. 29 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 1: So you were acquitted about fourteen months ago, and so 30 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: you've had that time to finally move on from this case. 31 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: That's dog you your whole life exactly right. So what 32 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: have you been doing? Are you working? 33 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 2: Yes, I'm working with Manbela Contractors. I do their deliveries 34 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 2: with Mimbella Contractors. 35 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: So this is John Vnbella. 36 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, John Minbella. That helped me out too. Yeah. 37 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, so you're working with John Vmbella huh all these years. 38 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 3: You know, John Mimbella is like a family member. You know, 39 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 3: he didn't just you know, help get me free. You know, 40 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 3: he's always been there for me, you know, like a 41 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 3: backbone and a counselor. You know, he's always been someone 42 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,080 Speaker 3: that I can go to, you know for anything. You know, 43 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:10,239 Speaker 3: even if it's just a hang out. 44 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: Well, you've been a counselor yourself too. You were telling 45 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 1: me before we sat down that you know, you're working 46 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: at Membela construction and doing deliveries and things for them, 47 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: but you're also working with a lot of the other guys. 48 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 2: Yes, work there. 49 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, we do construction, so it's a lot of you know, 50 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 3: you're gonna have a lot of conmics and stuff there. 51 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,959 Speaker 3: So a lot of these guys, you know, they got 52 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 3: problems and issues, and you know they look up to me. 53 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 1: So Membela hires people who used to be incarcerated. Yes, 54 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: a lot of folks there. And these guys, you know, 55 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:38,239 Speaker 1: just like anybody getting out of prison, have their struggles, 56 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: you know, their situation when they get out. Stuff they 57 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: have to figure out, and they come. 58 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 3: To you exactly, you know, and they come to me 59 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 3: and ask me, you know, for my advice. 60 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 2: You know, because one of the hardest things to transition into. 61 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 3: You know, what we call the free world is you know, 62 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:56,639 Speaker 3: we have to leave everything in prison behind us. 63 00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 2: And a lot of times a lot of people can't 64 00:02:59,080 --> 00:02:59,359 Speaker 2: do that. 65 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 3: Because you're so used to you know, thinking and moving 66 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 3: in that way. So it's hard to put that behind 67 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 3: you and then live basically a whole different life. 68 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: How do you put that behind you? 69 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 2: It's hard. 70 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 3: I mean I don't ever like I always tell her, 71 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 3: but I don't think it'll ever get away from us. 72 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 3: It won't ever escape us, and we'll always have it. 73 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 3: But the good thing is that as time progresses, you know, 74 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 3: as we grow, it's a lot easier to deal with. 75 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 3: Like before you would get mad and it was so 76 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 3: hard for you to calm down. After a while, when 77 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 3: you start getting mad, you'll start catching yourself going through 78 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,920 Speaker 3: the stages of going from zero to one hundred, and 79 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 3: you can stop it before it goes to one hundred? 80 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: What do you tell yourself to stop it? 81 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 3: Personally? Like I always check myself. You know, it's not 82 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 3: that bad, you know, look at the bigger picture. 83 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: Well, and you're not dealing with it alone either, Right, 84 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: you've got John Manilla, but you've also got a wonderful family. 85 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 3: Oh yes, you know, like my wife too, I mean 86 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 3: everyone for her. I mean I don't know what I 87 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 3: would have done. Yeah, she was when I first came out, 88 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 3: you know, I was basically a forty year old with 89 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 3: a sixteen year old mentality. You know, got locked up 90 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 3: when I was a kid, so I never really grew up. 91 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 3: I wasn't never had a structure. I never I never 92 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 3: really came out and was, you know, have my own 93 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 3: family or anything, you know. So coming down and dinning 94 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 3: was society as an adult was very very very very hard, 95 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 3: you know, because there was so much I didn't know, 96 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 3: and it was so frustrating because everybody knows it like 97 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 3: second nature, and you feel like you're out of the loop. 98 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:24,359 Speaker 2: You feel like an alien, like you. 99 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 1: Got dropped into another planet. 100 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 3: Yeah right, you know. So Amanda's always been there too, 101 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 3: like she's always all right. You got your wallet, you 102 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 3: got your keys, you got this. 103 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, those basic things of life, but the stuff you 104 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:36,480 Speaker 1: forget right when you've been locked away for so long, 105 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: exactly exactly Amanda's watching. Make sure. Hey, man, we all 106 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: need somebody like Amanda. 107 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 2: In our life, exactly, trust me. 108 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 1: And you have a beautiful You've got a beautiful family. 109 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 2: You've got kids. Yes, we have four kids. 110 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 3: I have my oldest daughter who's twenty five, Priscilla, and 111 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 3: then my daughter who's tan Kayla that's Amanda's daughter, and 112 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 3: my stepdaughter, and then we have two kids together. 113 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 2: One four. That's basically I know, Jude, and. 114 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: Then named after your dad. 115 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, you're named after my dad and Amanda's brother. Yeah. 116 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 2: And then we have. 117 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 3: The little little baby, the little rugrat. We have the 118 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 3: newest addition to the family. That's Emory Hope. She's the 119 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 3: hell Raiser. 120 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: There you go. 121 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 2: How old is she? 122 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 3: She's going on two years old in a couple of months, 123 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 3: so she's almost too But that's the little hell Raiser. 124 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: Man a full house. Yeah, that's great, that's great. So, 125 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 1: you know, what would you tell your kids? You know, 126 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: some of them are obviously too young to talk about 127 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: what happened to you, But what do you tell your 128 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:39,600 Speaker 1: kids who are old enough to start to think about 129 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 1: what happened to you? What do you tell them about 130 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:42,359 Speaker 1: what happened to you? 131 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 3: You know, I really don't try to focus so much 132 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 3: of what happened to me, but what they can do 133 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 3: now to avoid that, you know, like I always try 134 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:54,479 Speaker 3: to tell them, you know, like you know, when they 135 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 3: get frusted, I'm always. 136 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 2: Trying to tell me, you know, it's not that bad. 137 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 3: You know, you're you're you're you're getting too caught up 138 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:01,919 Speaker 3: in this little drama going on at school. 139 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 2: Or whatever, and it's not that tough. You know, it's 140 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 2: not gonna be the end of the world. And you know, 141 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 2: I just try to. 142 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 3: Give them my perspective as far as you know, thinking 143 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 3: of how to deal with problems. 144 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 2: And stuff and issues that come into life. 145 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 3: And that's mostly what I focus on, because I feel like, 146 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 3: you know, life is ten percent of what happens in 147 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:22,160 Speaker 3: ninety percent how you react to that. 148 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 2: I don't want to so. 149 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,600 Speaker 3: Much teach him about my experience as much as teach 150 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,039 Speaker 3: him about how to deal with your problems now from 151 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 3: that experience. 152 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:40,599 Speaker 1: So let me talk to you a little bit about 153 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:42,600 Speaker 1: what it was like to walk out of prison six 154 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:46,159 Speaker 1: years ago. Right, you were released on bond. It's twenty fourteen, 155 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 1: January twenty fourteen when you were released on bond. Yes, 156 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 1: And you know, when I talk to my other clients 157 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: who have come out of prison, you know, people always 158 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 1: have stories about the little things, the things they didn't 159 00:06:56,920 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: realize they missed until they were back out and remembered 160 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:02,840 Speaker 1: things right that they'd missed for so long. What were 161 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 1: those things for you? Those things you didn't realize that 162 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:05,280 Speaker 1: you've been missing. 163 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 3: Does smell? Yeah, you know the way the pavement of 164 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 3: the street smell. You know, we take that again after 165 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 3: a while you're walking and you know, especially people living 166 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 3: downtown or whatever, you know, they don't even smell the 167 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 3: roses no more. And that's one of the main things 168 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 3: that a lot of us when we come out, we 169 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 3: notice these smells because we've been smelling nothing but disinfected 170 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 3: our whole life. 171 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. 172 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 3: So you know, you have actual nature and you have 173 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 3: like pavement, you have like you know, the birds chirpping, 174 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 3: and then you have cars and you have like horns, 175 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 3: and you know, it's a whole different orchestra of music, 176 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 3: and so to speak, compared to prison, where it's nothing 177 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 3: but just a lot of yelling and screaming, it's. 178 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: A beautiful orchestra of music. Yeah, but hard to get 179 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: used to it first too. 180 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 3: It's not so much as hard to get used to it, 181 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 3: just it's hard to concentrate on something now, is because 182 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 3: you're so focused on hearing every sound and everything. 183 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 1: That's amazing, amazing, every sound from the orchestra of life. 184 00:07:58,200 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 1: I think that's gorgeous. 185 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 2: Yeah. 186 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: I want to take you back from moment too, if 187 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 1: I can, that moment fourteen months ago when you were acquitted. 188 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: It was your third trial right over the course of 189 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 1: twenty plus years, and this was the moment of your vindication. Yes, 190 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 1: it's an incredible moment for us all to listen to. 191 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: When you were sitting there in that courtroom. You know, 192 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: Amanda and your family members are right behind you, all 193 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: your supporters are right behind you. You were sitting there through 194 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: lawyers and the judge read out the verdict. Can you 195 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: tell me what it was like waiting for that verdict? 196 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:40,440 Speaker 3: That was excruciating pain that I would not wish on anybody. 197 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 2: That was terrible. 198 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 3: But you know when I was going through that, you know, 199 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 3: when they I was in the back of the side 200 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 3: of the courthouse and I was like having an intimate 201 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 3: moment with my daughter, my youngest daughter. How old was 202 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 3: she she was at that time, she was about six 203 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 3: months And you know, I really didn't think, you know, 204 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 3: I know she can't understand what I'm saying. So I 205 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 3: was just praying that you know, that parmorama experience happens 206 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 3: during death. 207 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 2: It's true, where you live, your whole life flashes before you. 208 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 1: You sort of get out of your body and see 209 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 1: yourself exactly. 210 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 2: So I figured, you know, if if anything. 211 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,439 Speaker 3: You know, I'll talk to her and she will remember 212 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 3: that on that day when she you know, because I couldn't, 213 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 3: you know, there's no other way. 214 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 2: She was too young. 215 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:23,719 Speaker 3: So I was just explaining to her, you know, I 216 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 3: was just telling her, you know, baby, you know, I'm 217 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 3: not guilty. 218 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 2: I'm just saying who I am. 219 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:29,840 Speaker 3: People are going to tell you stuff about me, and 220 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 3: I'm just like explaining things for that, you know that 221 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 3: I'm hoping one day she'll kind of remember that, she'll 222 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:37,199 Speaker 3: come back to that. 223 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 2: And uh. I did this to each of my kids. 224 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 3: I set each of them down by themselves and I 225 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 3: would explain things to them, and that was my last one. 226 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 3: And right when I was doing that, they tell us 227 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 3: that the verdict is on. We got the verdict, and 228 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 3: I'm like, holy crap. So we were running to the courthouse. 229 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 3: And then the thoughts, like I said, since I was 230 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 3: having that intimate moment with her, you know, was one 231 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 3: of the thoughts that came into my mind that were 232 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 3: more prevailing than anyone. I was thinking to myself that 233 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:06,320 Speaker 3: did we make the right decision, you know, not accepting 234 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 3: the offer please? And I was like, I know in 235 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 3: my heart, you know that we made the right decision. 236 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 3: And I know Amanda stands by me on that, but 237 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 3: I was saying, did we actually do. 238 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 2: It the right decision for our kids? 239 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: Yeah? 240 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 3: You know, even if you know you're right, you know, 241 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:22,440 Speaker 3: are we making the right decisions because this is my 242 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 3: case right. 243 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: Not to see you? 244 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:25,479 Speaker 2: Yes, exactly. 245 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 3: And if you look at the video, you'll see me 246 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 3: and my Lord's talking and you see me shaking my hand. 247 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:30,559 Speaker 2: That's what I was telling them. 248 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:31,839 Speaker 3: You know, I'm pleased, man, tell me that we made 249 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 3: the right decision here, that we do made the right decision, 250 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 3: not only on me, but did we make the right 251 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 3: decision for my children? 252 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 2: You know? Did we fight this on pride or did 253 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 2: we fight this for justice? 254 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,559 Speaker 3: You know, you you second guess everything at that moment, 255 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 3: you know, and then you second guess your you know 256 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:48,679 Speaker 3: everything that charal's coming through your head and you're like, man, 257 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 3: we should have done this, We should have done that. 258 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:52,079 Speaker 2: You know that was coming to your thoughts, and that's 259 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 2: killing you too. 260 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 3: So you got all these there's like a million thoughts 261 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 3: just blading down on you. And then you just want 262 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 3: to judge your hear up and tell you not guilty 263 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 3: and guilty and you wait for the jury to come 264 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 3: in here in. 265 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,959 Speaker 1: Order, and you're just sitting there dying, I mean excruciated. 266 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:12,599 Speaker 1: So you're sitting there in that moment, waiting for the 267 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: verdicts to come back, and you're thinking back on the offer, 268 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: play on that decision which which Amanda guided you through 269 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: which Jason Baldwin from the West movest Iie guided you 270 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 1: throw yes, and then the verdict comes. 271 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,680 Speaker 2: Back yes, not guilty exactly. 272 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:30,439 Speaker 3: And it was not before he said not guilty. I 273 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 3: already knew when he said he said it was a 274 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 3: form B, right, and I already had had the piece 275 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 3: of paper, and it was like Form A was guilty, 276 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 3: Form B was not guilty, you know. So when I 277 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 3: had the paper in front of me and then I 278 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 3: heard form B, I right away looked at that piece 279 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 3: of paper. 280 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 2: I said, oh shit, it's not guilty. 281 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 3: But it was just a couple of seconds like you're saying, 282 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 3: you know, and that's what I just it was like 283 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:52,960 Speaker 3: I was, like I said, I was so tense. I 284 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 3: mean that time period, that whole year was probably the 285 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 3: worst year of my life. And uh, I was so 286 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 3: tense that when that verdict not guilty happened. It was 287 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 3: just like, you know, like a ball full of rubber bands. 288 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 3: It was like you just take one and it all 289 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 3: just falls apart. Yeah, and that's exactly what happened, you know, 290 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:12,199 Speaker 3: that not guilty just pulled that one string and everything 291 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 3: fell apart and I just hit the ground. I hit 292 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 3: the table with my head. It didn't even hurt here 293 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 3: on the next day and I was just so, you know, 294 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 3: out of there. 295 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. 296 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:22,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, And you got out of there, didn't you right 297 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:27,079 Speaker 1: away as soon as you could never to return. 298 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:30,560 Speaker 3: We left too fast out of there, Like that's what 299 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 3: I was telling, me and a man that we had 300 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 3: all this little speech that we're going to do afterwards, 301 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 3: you know, to the news or whatever. And when that 302 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 3: man said the judge said, you know what, not guilty, 303 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:42,439 Speaker 3: you are free to go there. You are no longer 304 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 3: under any conditions of this court anymore. Yeah, that whole 305 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:46,960 Speaker 3: speech that we had, it was up my head. I 306 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 3: totally forgot. I ran out that courtroom. I was like, 307 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 3: I grabbed the man. I was like, let's go and the. 308 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 1: Cameras, get the news, get me out of here. But 309 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: you are actually going to be in a courtroom again. 310 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: I think in a couple of days. Right, what's your 311 00:12:58,280 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: plan for when you're here in Austin. 312 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 2: I'm here in Austin. 313 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 3: I want to go to the Capitol and I want 314 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 3: to go see the Court's of Criminal Appeals and I 315 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 3: would love to see if I can talk to one 316 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 3: of the judges. 317 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 1: So you want to go to the Texas Court of 318 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: Criminal Appeals. This is the court that affirmed your grant 319 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 1: of a new trial, that affirmed your conviction being thrown out. Yeah, 320 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:17,880 Speaker 1: and you want to just go in that building. Tell 321 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: me why. 322 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 3: One of the main things I want to go because 323 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,319 Speaker 3: when we're going to courts criminal appial, they're telling us 324 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 3: about the judges and they were saying that we have 325 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 3: to get a majority rule, and they were saying three 326 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:28,839 Speaker 3: of the judges were not going to go for they 327 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 3: never go for the inmate. And they were like, so 328 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 3: don't even worry about those three. We know we're not 329 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 3: going to get them. But at the end of the day, 330 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 3: you know, we had an anonymous vote. Even the judges 331 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 3: that they said we're not going to vote voted, and 332 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 3: that was like the first time it happened in Texas history. 333 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 3: So that's what I was like, you know, maybe I 334 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 3: won't be able to talk to judge, but I would 335 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 3: love to, you know, ask you know what made this 336 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 3: case so different that all you are in agreement with it? 337 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 2: What was so special that shot to your faith? You know? 338 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 2: What was it? 339 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: Do you think it will still be worthwhile to go 340 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: there even if you can't talk to the judges, just 341 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: to be in the building. What would it be just 342 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:01,199 Speaker 1: to be in the building, just. 343 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 3: To be in the building, if they would let me 344 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 3: walk into the room where they actually make the decisions. I 345 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 3: would you like to just sit there, you know, and 346 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 3: just think this is where they made the decisions on 347 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 3: letting you go. 348 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, that would be awesome. 349 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: This is where it all turned around. 350 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:16,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, this is the place I used to curse that 351 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 3: every every Wednesday, waiting for the answer, Daniel. 352 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 1: I just want to ask you, you know, what is 353 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: what's your what are your hopes for the future. 354 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 3: That I'm not totally certain about that right now, I 355 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 3: haven't figured out where my direction is actually going to go. 356 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 3: Because one thing I've realized about life is that I 357 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 3: have my plans, but the universe has its own plans, 358 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 3: and somehow or another, I always end up doing what the 359 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 3: universe wants me to do rather than what I want 360 00:14:57,520 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 3: to do. So I'm trying to figure out my nick 361 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 3: and right now, you know, meanwhile, I'm just trying to 362 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 3: do as much I can to help, you know, other people, 363 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:08,600 Speaker 3: to figure out what my true calling is going to be. 364 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 1: Well, one day at a time. It's pretty good right now. 365 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for sitting down with me. It's 366 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: been an absolute pleasure. Daniel Viegas than man, exonerated man, 367 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 1: congrat Thank you. 368 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 3: Oh and also like thank you for helping me on 369 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 3: my appeal. I mean, Laura, she's on my case. It's 370 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:27,720 Speaker 3: just so it's so bad ass. It's so awesome to 371 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 3: have all you guys with us. 372 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 1: It's our pleasure. 373 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 3: But you know, you guys never get the thanks, you know, 374 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 3: and that's one thing that you know, I want to 375 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 3: really focus, you know, I want to really you know, 376 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 3: put out there two about our lawyers or you know 377 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 3: that that help us, because you got to understand that normally, 378 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 3: with a client and the lawyer, situation goes once the 379 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 3: court is over, you're not going to see that lawyer 380 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 3: hardly ever again, you know, and in this situation where 381 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 3: around for conviction, we are so close to our lawyer, 382 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 3: We're so close to you guys. 383 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 2: You guys become our family. 384 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 3: You know that even when we come out, you don't 385 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 3: give up on It's not like, Okay, well we got 386 00:15:58,280 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 3: your free buy, I have a good life. 387 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 2: You guys are they're helping us out. You guys are still. 388 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 3: There making sure that you know we're we're being entered 389 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 3: back into society but successfully. Yeah, you know, and that 390 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 3: you guys need to get them things for that, because 391 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 3: I don't feel like you guys get the things for that. 392 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:15,840 Speaker 3: I don't feel like the networks get the things for 393 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 3: the innocent networks that are all these different organizations that 394 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 3: work so hard to get us free. Because when we 395 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 3: get free, the game's not over yet. Well it's still 396 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 3: a whole new game now. Now the game is how 397 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 3: do we get this man who's been locked up for 398 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 3: twenty years in prison that doesn't know nothing else but 399 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 3: how to be an amn? How do we get him 400 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 3: to become a productive member in society. 401 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 2: And that's what you guys do too. 402 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 1: Well, that's what you've done. So congratulations on that, all right, 403 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 1: believe us? 404 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 2: I love that great. 405 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, Daniel, thank you, Thanks for listening to 406 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: the special bonus episode of Wrongful Conviction False Confessions. You 407 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 1: can listen to Daniel's story right here in this feed 408 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 1: and come back on Wednesday to hear our next story 409 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 1: about a California man who was wrongfully convicted of terrorism 410 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 1: based on a confession about and I kitch you not 411 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:18,359 Speaker 1: pole vaulting Ninja Turtles. Wrongful Conviction, False Confessions is a 412 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 1: production of Lava for Good Podcasts in association with Signal 413 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: Company Number One and PRX Special thanks to our executive 414 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: producer Jason Flomm and the team at Signal Company Number 415 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:35,679 Speaker 1: One Executive producer Kevin Wardies Senior Producer and Pope, and 416 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 1: additional production and editing by Connor Hall. Special thanks to 417 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 1: Jaji Hammer for additional script editing and for wrangling and 418 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: writing like a mad woman. Our music was composed by 419 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:51,400 Speaker 1: Jay Ralph. You can follow me on Instagram or Twitter 420 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: at Laura Nywriter, and you can follow Steve on Instagram 421 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 1: at Stephen Drisen or on Twitter at Strisen. For more 422 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: information on the show, visit Wrongful convictionpodcast dot com and 423 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:05,400 Speaker 1: be sure to follow the show on Instagram at Wrongful 424 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 1: Conviction on Facebook at Wrongful Conviction podcast and on Twitter 425 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:11,200 Speaker 1: at wrong Conviction