Wrongly convicted Seattle man released after 10 years

SEATTLE – A wrongly convicted Seattle man who spent 10 years in prison after being convicted of robbery and burglary has been released.

Brandon Olebar was released from prison after the Innocence Project Northwest persuaded King County prosecutors to re-examine his conviction, which was based solely on eyewitness testimony, the Seattle Times reported Tuesday.

Two students from the Innocence Project Northwest, which is based at the University of Washington Law School, pulled together evidence that Olebar was not among the people who in February 2003 broke into the home of his sister’s boyfriend and pistol-whipped and beat the man unconscious.

The victim said as many as eight attackers beat him for more than 10 minutes and he recognized Olebar’s sister as one of them. He told police the attackers had “feather” facial tattoos.

The victim later identified Olebar from a photo montage. Despite the fact that he did not have a facial tattoo and had an alibi, Olebar was charged with burglary and robbery.

A King County jury convicted him solely on the basis of eyewitness testimony and sentenced him to 16 1/2 years in prison, according to an Innocence Project statement.

Project Director Jacqueline McMurtrie said the two law students, Nikki Carsley and Kathleen Klineall, tracked down and interviewed three of the assailants, who signed sworn statements admitting their involvement and denying that Olebar was present during the attack.

Working with attorney Fernanda Torres, they presented the new evidence to Mark Larson, the King County chief criminal deputy prosecutor.

Last week, after interviewing the same people, Satterberg’s office moved to vacate the conviction and dismissed the charges. Olebar, 30, was released into the arms of his wife, Mely.

“Eyewitness misidentification is the single greatest cause of wrongful convictions,” IPNW Policy Director Lara Zarowsky said.