Parole board grants release for Queens man after judge vacated virtual life sentence

The state parole board granted Robert Majors’ release Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Tom Hoffman

By David Brand

Jamaica native Robert Majors is seemingly one step closer to freedom, three and half months after a Queens judge vacated his virtual life sentence for attempted murder and armed robbery based on a prosecutorial misconduct finding.

Majors remained behind bars after Judge John Latella declined to reverse a related weapons possession conviction and upheld his 12 years-to-life sentence for carrying guns used in a 1997 armored truck heist that left two men critically wounded. On Aug. 26, more than 23 years after Majors first went to jail, the state parole board granted his release from Greenhaven Correctional Facility. He may be able to walk out as early as Oct. 7.

But his continued confinement depends on Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, who has not yet decided whether to retry the case two decades after Queens prosecutors hid a key piece of evidence favorable to Majors from his defense attorney. Katz did not provide a response for this story.

Majors was sentenced to 62 years to life in prison in 2001 following his bench trial conviction for taking part in the robbery and shootout in Jamaica. A day after the heist, police arrested Majors with a bag of weapons. He contends he was carrying the bag for his brother-in-law, who was also convicted of the crime. Majors had a compelling alibi — a chiropractor said she was treating him shortly before the robbery. His co-defendants have also said he was not involved in the crime.

It wasn’t until 2018 that Majors receive the information he needed to successfully fight for his freedom.

The assistant district attorney on the case had failed to turn over a police informant’s handwritten, three-page affidavit identifying another suspect named “Rasheed” as one of the perpetrators. 

A statement from the same informant, William McKinney, was used to arrest a third suspect who was also later convicted for his role in the 1997 robbery.

Majors finally received that affidavit in response to his tenth Freedom of Information Law request.

Latella, the same judge who convicted Majors 19 years ago, granted his motion to vacate the two convictions and life sentence in May after ruling that Queens prosecutors had suppressed the affidavit favorable to Majors. 

“Going from 62 years-to-life to freedom is an amazing turn of events,” said Major's’ attorney Thomas Hoffman, who worked with attorney Jonathan Hiles on the years-long case.

Now, Hoffman said, Majors awaits a decision from Katz.