Saturday, May 14, 2011

Wrongfully Convicted: The Marty Tankleff Story


In September of 1988, two years before I was born, a gruesome murder shocked the small beachfront community that I grew up in. Marty Tankleff, a 19 year-old high school senior at Earl L. Vandermeulen High School was convicted and sentenced to 50 years-to life in prison for the stabbing death of his parents. My grandmother was Marty's guidance counselor at Vandermeulen High, and was also close friends with Arlene and Seymour Tankleff, the victims. The story was sensationalized throughout Long Island; it was believed that Marty murdered his parents to collect on their life insurance because he didn't want to drive the "shitty Mercedes," that his parents bought him for his 18th birthday. My grandma could not believe that this reasoning was widely believed. People believed Marty was this stuck-up, spoiled brat from Port Jeff who disgustingly killed his parents because he wasn't satisfied with his birthday gift. Over time, details came out, and it was clear that Marty was innocent. I had heard about this story from a young age, and my grandmother always preached that Marty was the nicest, most normal kid in high school. When his conviction was finally vacated, Marty came over to my grandmother's house for dinner. I couldn't believe that a man who spent 17 years in prison could be so normal. This guy was like anyone else out there, but he received a terrible draw in life. It's great to see Marty Tankleff, a truly innocent man, roam the streets and socialize again like he deserves to.

5 comments:

  1. This is definitely an interesting story and its always great to see justice finally be played out for this man. We hear, more often than not, stories like these and its always my first reaction to feel completely sorry for the man put away for something he didn't do. Its always one of my worst fears to have the 'Shawshank Redemption' scenario played out in real life. However, both had happy endings, but even still this man lost such a monumental part of his life its very disheartening. It definitely puts life into perspective when a story like this unfolds and I am very happy for the man who's innocence has been uncovered.

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  2. Man, that must suck a lot. Being in prison for any amount of time for a crime that you did not commit must be torture. To be imprisoned for 17yrs must have been more than any of us could imagine. It's awesome that he finally got out because being imprisoned for a crime that you did not commit- especially when it is the double homicide of one's parents is an extreme case of adding insult to injury. I wonder if there are any leads on the person who actually killed his parents, or if Mr. Tankleff is even interested in finding out at this point.

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  3. I know everyone is saying it, but it's amazing that he was able to stay completely normal after all those years of injustice. It's also shocking to hear him rattle off the names of the real killers without any bitterness. I hope he is able to get them convicted. and can fight to stop things like this from happening to other people.

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  4. Being in prison can change someone. It really is cool that he did not become insane. I don't understand how he could get convincted based on a rumor though? Look at the O.J. case, it doesn't matter what is widely believed. There must have been some sort of evidence that would suggest he killed his parents, otherwise he had the shittiest lawyer ever

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  5. A wrongful conviction has to be one of the worst fears in my life. Not only does he have to cope with his parents death but he remains in jail for 17 years. I can only imagine what a life changing experience that is. Living and interacting with convicted felons is intimidating and very stressful if your not placed in the right compound. Moreover, a person on death row has little to lose but much to gain in the social hierarchy of prison yards.

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