Netflix’s latest true crime documentary, Trial 4, has gripped and upset viewers since it arrived on the streaming platform.
The sad story concerns Sean K Ellis, who, at the age 19, was accused and convicted of the murder of a white police detective, John Mulligan.
Ellis was put through three criminal trials, the first two of which resulted in a hung jury and a mistrial, before a guilty verdict was reached.
Ellis always maintained his innocence, despite being jailed for more than two decades.
Sean K. Ellis embraces his sister Lasalle Ellis in the courtroom (Image: Boston Globe via Getty Images)
The documentary follows his defence team as they highlight the injustices that lead to Ellis wrongly being put behind bars.
Across eight parts, the moving docu-series unravels the circumstances that lead to Ellis’ conviction through previously unknown evidence that proves his innocence.
Where is Sean Ellis now?
After spending 21 years behind bars, Sean now works for a non-profit company in Boston, Hello reports.
A charity website raising awareness and funds for Sean’s story reads: “Sean Ellis is living an admirable life. After his release, family and friends and his legal team rallied to help him re-adjust to civilian life.
Ellis has since begun working in Boston (Image: Boston Globe via Getty Images)
“A kind official at his mother’s church provided him housing for the first three years, while he got his bearings. […] After initial stints on a demolition crew, he was hired by Community Servings, a Boston non-profit agency that prepares and delivers medically appropriate meals to ill and elderly home-bound residents.”
Sean maintained his innocence throughout his time in jail, during which the case continued on the outside.
Former Boston detectives Walter Robinson and Kenneth Acerra were eventually indicted by a grand jury for charges of police corruption including falsification of search warrants.
Meanwhile, evidence came to light regarding Mulligan and his life and career before he was shot.
The former cop was found to be involved thefts, and more officers were then implicated in his murder as a result.
In 2013, Sean’s lawyer put forward a motion for a retrial, citing the recent findings, evidence, and police corruption.
In 2016, Sean was finally freed. Ellis had his conviction overturned by a judge who ruled that “justice was not done” during his original trials.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
