Sun Feb 23 07:01:00 UTC 2025: ## Hawaii Man Freed After 30 Years in Prison Based on New DNA Evidence

**Maui, Hawaii** – Gordon Cordeiro, 51, walked free Friday after spending three decades in prison for a murder he maintained he didn’t commit. A Maui judge vacated his conviction based on newly discovered DNA evidence that, according to the court, would likely lead to a different outcome in a retrial.

Cordeiro was convicted in 1994 for the murder of Timothy Blaisdell during a drug deal robbery. His first trial ended in a hung jury, but he was subsequently found guilty and sentenced to life without parole. The Hawaii Innocence Project took up his case, arguing for his release based on new evidence, ineffective counsel, and alleged prosecutorial misconduct.

The pivotal evidence included DNA testing which excluded Cordeiro as the source of DNA found on Blaisdell’s body and other crime scene evidence, while revealing an unidentified person’s DNA. The judge also considered new information regarding gunshot residue. Cordeiro’s attorneys argued that police relied heavily on unreliable jailhouse informants and that the key witness, Michael Freitas (deceased), had repeatedly changed his story and shifted blame onto Cordeiro.

While the judge rejected claims of prosecutorial misconduct, she ruled that the new evidence was substantial enough to warrant Cordeiro’s release. Maui County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Martin expressed disappointment with the ruling and announced his intention to appeal and seek bail pending the appeal, citing a flight risk.

Cordeiro, who celebrated his release as “Freedom Friday,” expressed gratitude to his supporters and even the prosecution for their cooperation on certain aspects of the case. He said his immediate priority was to see his mother. Kenneth Lawson, co-director of the Hawaii Innocence Project, described the moment of Cordeiro’s release as profoundly emotional, highlighting the erosion of faith in the justice system that such a long wrongful imprisonment can cause. The Innocence Project believes Freitas was involved in the murder and set Blaisdell up. The case, according to Lawson, represents a significant failure of the police investigation.

Read More