The Yusuf Hawkins Case: A New Twist After 35 Years

One of the most racially charged murder cases in New York City history unfolded in the summer of 1989, when a mob of white teenagers, armed with baseball bats and a gun, brutally attacked Yusuf Hawkins, a 16-year-old Black teen, in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. This heinous act sparked months of intense protests and unrest, as the community grappled with the racial tensions that the case exposed.

Joseph Fama, convicted of fatally shooting Mr. Hawkins, has long maintained that he was wrongfully accused and that authorities, under immense pressure to secure a conviction, hastily targeted him as the perpetrator. After spending 35 years behind bars, Fama has successfully convinced a Brooklyn judge to grant him a new hearing, where he hopes to present evidence that could ultimately prove his innocence.

“This guy got framed,” stated Justin Bonus, Fama’s attorney, on Wednesday. He emphasized that Fama was not even part of the mob that attacked Hawkins and asserted that another individual involved in the brutal assault was the one who fired the fatal shot.

While this decision marks a significant victory for Fama’s legal team, the journey toward exoneration remains fraught with challenges. Brooklyn prosecutors have dismissed the appeal as merely a repetition of previously rejected legal arguments. A conference is scheduled for November 21 to discuss the parameters and set a date for the forthcoming hearing.

Mr. Bonus revealed that over a dozen individuals have come forward, providing sworn statements or testimonies that support Fama’s claims of innocence. At 53 years old, Fama has already faced two failed appeals and had two attempts at parole denied, making the upcoming hearing a crucial opportunity in his quest for justice.