BROTHERS IN ARMS
$17M payout for wrongful imprisonment
Two halfbrothers who were wrongly imprisoned for decades because of discredited NYPD Detective Louis Scarcella got a $17 million settlement from the city Monday, but were left wondering if the money represents justice.
“The settlement will definitely make our lives better,” said Alvena Jennette — who spent 20 years in prison and got a $6 million share of the payout. “But does it make up for what we lost? I can’t say it does.”
Jeanette and his half-bother, Darryl Austin, had been falsely convicted of gunning a man down on a Brooklyn corner in 1985. Austin died in prison before he could be cleared, and his mom, Louise Austin, accepted his $3.85 million payout Monday.
A third halfbother, Robert Hill, who was framed by Scarcella for a separate 1987 killing, also got a set tlement check Monday. After spending 26 years behind bars, he said the best compensation is the restoration of his reputation.
“I never wanted to die as a convicted murderer and now my name’s clear,” said Hill, who has MS and plans to use his $7.15 million share on medical bills. “And I’m thankful every day for life, health and strength.”
The surviving brothers and their mother held a framed photo of Darryl Austin as they signed the settlement forms.
Along with the settlement in another case, Monday’s payout brings the cost of Scarcella’s false convictions to $23.5 million.
About 70 of the former Brooklyn North Homicide detective’s murder convictions remain under investigation by the DA’s Conviction Review Unit, which is probing allegations of witness coercion, false confessions and the burying of exculpatory evidence.
A halfdozen of the Scarcella murder cases — including those of Hill, Jennette and Austin — alleg edly relied on testimony from a druggie prostitute named Teresa Gomez.
“I thank God for everything, that I lived to see my boys get out,” Louise Austin said Monday.
She says she’s going to use the money to take care of foster kids.
“I’m not bitter about what happened,” the mom said. “I just want to take care of other people’s children and try to lead them down the right path.”
Scarcella has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.