Carlos Jaile Wrongful Conviction: 29 Years Robbed

Carlos Jaile spent 29 years in jail for a crime he did not commit. Because exculpatory DNA evidence was withheld from his trial, he was sentenced to life in prison...

In 1990, El Paso law enforcement ignored all of the evidence that pointed to Carlos' innocence in a rush to solve a series of child sexual assault cases and indecent exposure cases happening at the time. He spent 29 years in prison wrongfully for sexual assault and kidnapping, even though the DNA evidence that eventually cleared him was available the entire time. This innocent man was imprisoned at 33 years old and released at 62 years old. His case was reviewed thanks to a juror who decided to speak up. 

Estella Ybarra, a juror in Carlos' case, was pressured into declaring Carlos guilty by another juror, but she never felt right about that decision and it haunted her for decades. In 2017, after finding the certificate she’d received for her jury service years before, Estella reached out to law enforcement. After a thorough investigation by the El Paso District Attorney’s office, a DNA report from 1990 proving that Carlos was not the perpetrator was uncovered. In 2019, his charges were vacated and he was released from prison. Estella’s persistence and bravery helped bring Carlos home to our family. Today, Carlos lives in Chicago with his girlfriend, near his family who supported him during his wrongful incarceration.

Unfortunately, Carlos’ attorney did not make a claim of “actual innocence” in the writ he filed with the court to have the conviction vacated. This means that, while Carlos is free and no longer a convicted felon, he has been unable to receive compensation that other exonerees receive under this Texas statute due to this technicality. As it stands, Carlos and his family are actively pursuing several legal routes to recover the proper compensation he deserves.

Carlos is now 66 years old. Because he was incarcerated for almost 30 years, he is ineligible to receive social security and Medicare. He is truly starting his life over from square one as a senior citizen.

We are asking our community to join us in celebrating Carlos’ perseverance. Please donate to this fundraiser which will help us ensure he can rebuild his life as a truly free man. 

You can watch or read read more about Carlos Jaile's story (and the juror who spoke up) in the most recent issue of Texas Monthly. (Thank you, Michael Hall, for your incredible work in capturing this unbelievable story!)

Thank you so much for your contributions! They are beyond appreciated.