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Stephen Martinez, who spent more than 27 years imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, was freed on April 21, 2026, by a Denver District Court judge after new evidence showed the infant he was convicted of murdering had a pre-existing respiratory illness that caused her death.

The court’s ruling follows years of extensive investigation and advocacy led by Korey Wise Innocence Project (KWIP) at the University of Colorado Boulder Law School with support from Stinson LLP, including Perry Glantz and Judith Araujo, along with Seth Temin. 

The Denver District Attorney's Conviction Review Unit also conducted their own thorough investigation and agreed to vacate Mr. Martinez's conviction.

“This case is a tragedy on every front,” said Jeanne Segil, assistant director of KWIP.  “A four-month-old girl died. A grieving family thought they found justice for their loss. But the system failed them and Mr. Martinez. We now know he did not cause the baby’s death - yet he lost over 27 years of his life imprisoned for a crime he did not commit.”

Mr. Martinez’s case is a classic example of the changing science around “shaken baby syndrome,” which led to the convictions of dozens of people who were later exonerated. Modern medical science has fundamentally altered how “shaken baby” cases are evaluated; it is now understood that there are many other causes of these deaths. 

Mr. Martinez was convicted and sentenced to life without parole after the 4-month-old infant he was watching for his girlfriend died during a medical emergency. Although Mr. Martinez had no prior violent criminal history, called 911 and attempted lifesaving measures, he became a suspect. During a late-night interrogation, he made self-incriminating statements that he later recanted.

Mr. Martinez was convicted based on those initial statements and medical findings congruent with “shaken baby syndrome,” as well as a small linear fracture in the baby’s head, which at the time of trial was discounted as a possible cause of death. In 1998, it was widely believed that these findings could only be caused by violent shaking. 

Four new medical experts, including one retained by the Denver District Attorney’s office, concluded that the diagnosis relied upon at trial no longer aligned with current scientific understanding, particularly in light of the infant’s documented medical history. They agreed that the cause of death was pneumonia and related lung disease, not trauma. In addition, new evidence presented to the court showed that Mr. Martinez falsely confessed during a police interrogation. An expert determined that the statements he made during initial questioning were unreliable and directly contradicted the physical evidence in the case.

Mr. Martinez did not receive effective assistance of counsel because counsel failed to retain medical experts to investigate alternative causes of death. In addition, the defense presented evidence of other serious failures that were not addressed in the court’s ruling, including counsel not trying to suppress his false confession even after Mr. Martinez asked to stop the interrogation and failing to present critical medical history of the infant to the jury.

“It’s hard to find the right words on a day like this,” Mr. Martinez said. “After more than 27 years in prison for a crime I did not commit, I am finally free. I am looking forward to reuniting with my family and rebuilding my life.”

Mr. Martinez continued: “People often talk about light at the end of the tunnel, but for me, I didn’t even have a tunnel. I was serving life without parole. My appeals had all been denied. I was out of hope. And then I received a letter from the Korey Wise Innocence Project almost four years ago saying that they were going to review my case. And thanks to their efforts, my entire legal team, and the amazing experts on my case, I can finally return home, an innocent man, and rebuild my life.”

“We are glad Mr. Martinez can return home and begin rebuilding his life, but 27 years of wrongful incarceration leaves lasting harm,” Segil said. “During his incarceration, Mr. Martinez suffered from inadequate medical care that resulted in amputation of his leg and loss of vision in his right eye. Reentry brings significant challenges, however, he is resilient and intends to give back to the community and reconnect with loved ones.” 

The Korey Wise Innocence Project remains committed to identifying and correcting wrongful convictions across Colorado and to addressing the systemic failures that lead to injustice.