NBC NIGHTLY NEWS EXCLUSIVE: LESTER HOLT INTERVIEWS WRONGFULLY CONVICTED RICHARD ROSARIO AHEAD OF COURT HEARING
Interview Airs Friday, June 24 on “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt,” Watch Preview Here
Dateline NBC’s Original Digital Series “Conviction” Will Premiere New Episode on Rosario’s Case Friday Night on NBCNews.com
NEW YORK – June 23, 2016 – In an exclusive in-depth interview, the wrongfully convicted Richard Rosario told “NBC Nightly News” anchor Lester Holt “it took 20 years for a district attorney to do something that should have been done 20 years ago – investigate something so simple as an alibi,” ahead of Rosario’s court hearing scheduled for Friday that will determine his fate. Click here to watch a preview. A transcript of the interview excerpt is below.
Rosario’s interview will air on “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” on Friday. After his murder conviction was recently overturned in a reversal that made national headlines, Rosario is set to appear in a Bronx courtroom tomorrow. At the hearing, the prosecution is expected to ask for a retrial, say that there is not enough evidence to retry Rosario, declare his innocence, or ask for additional time to investigate. Rosario, who had served 20 years of a 25-years-to-life-sentence, maintains his innocence. He insists that 13 alibi witnesses can verify he was in Florida when the crime was committed in New York City. In March, the court released him from prison after Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark agreed that his original conviction was unfair.
The “NBC Nightly News” interview will include never-before-seen footage of an interview Holt did with Rosario two years ago. NBC News has been closely following the case over that time, spotlighting Rosario in the Dateline NBC original digital series “Conviction,” which was released in March 2016. Following the latest developments of Rosario’s case, Dateline NBC will also update viewers with a new episode of “Conviction” to stream Friday night. The episode will focus on the new developments in the case and what life has been like for Richard and his family since his March release. Click here to watch the first 11 episodes of “Conviction.”
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LESTER HOLT: What is it like to be robbed 20 years of your life inside prison?
RICHARD ROSARIO: I was accused of a crime I didn’t commit. I’ve been fighting for 20 years. My story and the facts have remained the same. It took 20 years for a district attorney to do something that should have been done 20 years ago — investigate something so simple as an alibi.
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About NBC Nightly News
“NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” is America’s most-watched evening newscast, going beyond the day’s headlines to uncover stories of how people’s lives are affected by the world around them. “NBC Nightly News” reaches over 24 million people every week through its broadcast and millions more through NBCNews.com, the “Nightly News” app, and social media platforms. Lester Holt is the anchor and Sam Singal is the executive producer.
About Dateline NBC Presents: Conviction
“Dateline NBC Presents: Conviction” is produced and reported by Dateline’s Dan Slepian. Rob Allen is co-producer and editor. Adam Gorfain is the executive producer. Dateline NBC is the award-winning newsmagazine known for its distinctive storytelling on a wide range of topics from true crime investigations and mysteries, to breaking news reports and special series. David Corvo is the senior executive producer, Liz Cole is the executive producer and Lester Holt is the primary anchor of “Dateline NBC.
For more information contact:
Dominique Cuce
NBC News
212-664-6192
dominique.cuce@nbcuni.com
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