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Indian-origin man dies after spending 38 years in US jail
Despite Maharaj's 1987 conviction for the murders of Derrick and Duane Moo Young, doubts regarding his culpability have lingered for many years.
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Kris Maharaj / Image- @Reprieve
An 85-year-old British citizen of Indian origin, Kris Maharaj, died in a U.S. prison on August 5, 2024, after spending 38 years in custody following a conviction for a double murder in Miami.
Despite Maharaj's 1987 conviction for the murders of Derrick and Duane Moo Young, doubts regarding his culpability have lingered for many years. According to reports, Maharaj, who was born in Trinidad and had lived in the UK since 1960, always maintained his innocence.
He was initially sentenced to death in 1987 and spent 17 years on death row before his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2002. Despite a 2019 ruling by a judge that appeared to support claims of his innocence, the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld his conviction, and he remained in prison until his death.
Nice, accurate article from Trinidad about the sad death of my long-time client & ultimately old friend #KrisMaharaj-he did 13,808 days on death row/in prison when he was unalterably innocent... https://t.co/zpyY8QzKBq
— Clive Stafford Smith (@CliveSSmith) August 9, 2024
His lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, who had represented him since 1993, confirmed Maharaj’s death, stating that he passed away in the prison hospital after "38 years fighting injustice." On social media platform X, Stafford Smith expressed his grief, noting the immense suffering Maharaj endured, both on death row and in a crowded prison dormitory where he had just three feet of space to himself.
Efforts are now underway to repatriate Maharaj’s body to the UK for burial. A fundraising campaign has been launched to cover the costs, estimated between$12,800 and $19,200. Stafford Smith has appealed for public support, requesting $13,808 – a symbolic amount representing the number of days Maharaj spent imprisoned. Any surplus funds will be used to seek a posthumous exoneration for Maharaj, as per his wife’s wishes.
Maharaj’s case has drawn significant attention over the years, with ongoing concerns about the fairness of his trial and the evidence used against him. Despite the 2019 ruling, legal challenges to his conviction were unsuccessful, leading to questions about the U.S. justice system’s handling of the case.
Reprieve, the campaign group that played a crucial role in advocating for Maharaj, expressed their sorrow, stating, "Our thoughts are first and foremost with his loyal wife Marita, and with his family, friends, and indefatigable lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith." The group remains committed to continuing the fight for justice, even after Maharaj’s death.
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