On July 15, 1982, Curtis Monroe was fatally shot as he walked on 113th Street in New York City. Monroe, who dealt drugs in Harlem, was shot three times in the head. Police found potato chips scattered about the scene, but no witnesses to the shooting were located.
Monroe's brother told the police that he had been in a fist fight days earlier with Lucius Mason Jr. and 25-year-old Adrian Farlow Sr., who were known to police as low-level drug dealers. The brother said Curtis was killed in retaliation.
On February 7, 1984, a jury in New York County Supreme Court convicted Mason and Farlow of second-degree murder, although neither was identified by any witness as being present when the shooting occurred.
Mason and Farlow were both sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.
In March 1998, during a federal court trial of a heroin trafficking ring headed by Peter Monsanto, two witnesses, both granted immunity in exchange for their testimony, told a jury that Monroe was murdered by a hitman because Monroe was interfering with Monsanto's drug operation.
One of the witness, James Canady, said that just before the shooting, he gave the hitman, whom he identified only as "Moon," a .38-caliber revolver and $400. Canady testified that he watched as the hitman walked down the street eating from a bag of potato chips. The hitman approached Monroe and shot him three times in the head, Canady said.
Canady said that minutes later, he met the hitman at a nearby bar, and paid him an additional $1,500. Canady testified that Monroe was murdered because he had threatened Canady and other members of Monsanto's crew with a shotgun, claiming they were selling heroin in Monroe's territory.
Federal prosecutors notified the New York County District Attorney's office and on July 19, 1988, the prosecution agreed to vacate the convictions of Farlow and Mason. Mason's charges were dismissed that day and he was released. Farlow, who also was imprisoned on an unrelated drug conviction, was released on parole on the drug charge on August 29, 1988. New York Department of Corrections records do not reflect a murder conviction on his record.
- Maurice Possley
Monroe's brother told the police that he had been in a fist fight days earlier with Lucius Mason Jr. and 25-year-old Adrian Farlow Sr., who were known to police as low-level drug dealers. The brother said Curtis was killed in retaliation.
On February 7, 1984, a jury in New York County Supreme Court convicted Mason and Farlow of second-degree murder, although neither was identified by any witness as being present when the shooting occurred.
Mason and Farlow were both sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.
In March 1998, during a federal court trial of a heroin trafficking ring headed by Peter Monsanto, two witnesses, both granted immunity in exchange for their testimony, told a jury that Monroe was murdered by a hitman because Monroe was interfering with Monsanto's drug operation.
One of the witness, James Canady, said that just before the shooting, he gave the hitman, whom he identified only as "Moon," a .38-caliber revolver and $400. Canady testified that he watched as the hitman walked down the street eating from a bag of potato chips. The hitman approached Monroe and shot him three times in the head, Canady said.
Canady said that minutes later, he met the hitman at a nearby bar, and paid him an additional $1,500. Canady testified that Monroe was murdered because he had threatened Canady and other members of Monsanto's crew with a shotgun, claiming they were selling heroin in Monroe's territory.
Federal prosecutors notified the New York County District Attorney's office and on July 19, 1988, the prosecution agreed to vacate the convictions of Farlow and Mason. Mason's charges were dismissed that day and he was released. Farlow, who also was imprisoned on an unrelated drug conviction, was released on parole on the drug charge on August 29, 1988. New York Department of Corrections records do not reflect a murder conviction on his record.
- Maurice Possley
Posting Date: 11-04-2024
Case Details:
State:
New York
County:
New York
Most Serious Crime:
Murder
Reported Crime Date:
1982
Convicted:
1984
Exonerated:
1988
Sentence:
Term of Years
Race / Ethnicity:
White
Sex:
Male
Age at the date of reported crime:
25
Contributing Factors:
Perjury or False Accusation