BRONX, N.Y. — A Bronx judge vacated the conviction of Kimberly Hanzlik on Tuesday, releasing her from prison after 13 years behind bars for a 1999 murder conviction that prosecutors now say was based on unreliable testimony.
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced that her office’s Conviction Integrity Bureau uncovered evidence casting doubt on Hanzlik’s involvement in the shooting of Joseph Brown at Frenchy’s Bar on East Tremont Avenue. Judge Alvin Yearwood dismissed the charges, sealed the case, and ordered Hanzlik’s release during a hearing at the Bronx Hall of Justice.
“Ms. Hanzlik served 13 years in prison based on trial testimony that would not meet today’s threshold of credibility,” Clark said. She acknowledged the anguish this decision may cause for the victim’s family but stated the dismissal was in the interest of justice.
Hanzlik, now 59, was convicted in 2011 alongside her co-defendant, Joseph Meldish, for their alleged roles in the fatal shooting. Prosecutors said Hanzlik entered the bar to locate the intended victim, Thomas Brown, and informed Meldish of his location. Meldish then entered and shot Joseph Brown, who resembled his brother Thomas, before fleeing.
A key witness, Meldish’s getaway driver, provided inconsistent statements but testified at trial that Hanzlik was present and pointed out the victim. Additionally, Joseph Brown’s wife identified Hanzlik seven years after the murder, in 2006, during an interview with a now-deceased NYPD detective who was later implicated in a separate case involving coerced testimony.
The Conviction Integrity Bureau’s review revealed undisclosed 1999 police records indicating the getaway driver initially stated Hanzlik was not present at the time of the murder. This, combined with questions about the credibility of the late detective’s investigation methods, ultimately led to the decision to vacate the conviction.