U.S. Prison Incarceration Ends in Tragedy: Indian-Origin Man Dies After 38 Years

August 10 :
Kris Maharaj, an 85-year-old Indian-born British citizen, passed away on August 5, 2024, after serving 38 years in prison for a double murder conviction in Miami. There have been long-standing questions about Maharaj's guilt, even though he was convicted of the murders of Derrick and Duane Moo Young in 1987. The man who was reportedly born in Trinidad but has been in the UK since 1960, Maharaj, has steadfastly maintained his innocence throughout.

After serving 17 years on death row following his 1987 conviction, his sentence was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2002. The U.S. Court of Appeals maintained his conviction and he stayed in prison until his death, even though a judge's verdict in 2019 seemed to back his innocence claims.

Having defended Maharaj since 1993, his lawyer Clive Stafford Smith confirmed his death, saying that his client had died in the jail hospital following "38 years fighting injustice." Stafford Smith shared his sorrow on the social media platform X, drawing attention to the great hardships that Maharaj faced while incarcerated, including life on execution row and living in a cramped prison dormitory with only three feet of personal space.

Plans are currently in motion to return Maharaj's remains to the United Kingdom for final disposition. The expenses, which are projected to range from $12,800 to $19,200, have prompted the launch of a fundraising effort. Stafford Smith has made a public appeal for $13,808—a symbolic amount symbolizing the number of days Maharaj spent imprisoned—in the hopes of garnering popular support. In accordance with the desires of his wife, Maharaj will have any remaining funds utilized to pursue a posthumous exoneration.

Many have wondered whether Maharaj's trial was fair and whether the evidence was sufficient throughout the years, and his story has continued to receive a lot of media attention. Legal challenges to his conviction were unsuccessful, notwithstanding the 2019 ruling, which raised issues about the handling of the case by the U.S. court system. We are deeply saddened by this news and want to extend our deepest sympathies to Maharaj's devoted wife Marita, as well as to his loved ones and his tenacious legal counsel, Clive Stafford Smith. Reprieve was a major advocacy group for Maharaj. Even after Maharaj's death, the gang is determined to keep fighting for justice.