FLORIDA—Felix Garcia, a deaf man who was arrested nearly 32 years go for a crime that many suspect he is not guilty of.

 

Prosecutors convicted Garcia for killing a man in Tampa, Florida in 1981 during an alleged drug robbery. The actual culprit of the same crime he was convicted of was later revealed to be Garcia’s own brother who confessed.

 

Following his brother’s confession, the process to release Garcia was not put into action. Felix’s meeting with an interviewer while in prison on June 11, 2013, allowed his story to be shared with others regarding his unfair sentence.

Through the media, the Florida Association of Deaf Senator Thad Altman has made it a requirement to have licensed interpreters in court proceedings. At the moment, those who have heard of Garcia’s story, along with the aid of Sachs Media Group have drawn up a petition to take to his upcoming Clemency hearing to have him freed.

 

The petition now has 772 of 1,000 required petition signers. More signatures can be signed online through the website: thepetitionsite.com.