But before he was proven innocent, he had to face the possibility that his life would be reduced to another tragic statistic as he lived his life behind bars for a crime he did not commit. The Dodgers are a part of me. Catalan, who had been present at the fateful game with his little daughter Melissa, eventually learned that Larry David and HBO had been filming there. Look at anything you want. And we sent him with everything from the stadium, including the footage that we had shot earlier that evening. However, when he was in jail awaiting trial, Juan remembered seeing camera crews filming at the stadium on the night in question. WebFollowing his exoneration, the police paid him over $320,000 for misconduct and he later pursued an associate degree in general education. Armed with the new knowledge, Todd acquired hours and hours' worth of footage shot for the Curb Your Enthusiasm episode, "The Carpool Lane," in the hope of spotting Juan. Spains former king Juan Carlos denies having secret daughter Juan Carlos allegedly informed the members of the Royal family about Alejandras existence and the girl was also told who her true father was. Juan had heard from other detainees about a badass defense attorney named Todd Melnik, and he immediately made hasty phone contact with him in an attempt to convince him to take on his case. For more information, please see our He was arrested for murder in Los Angeles. Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games in our new game center at latimes.com/games. The slaying in question had taken place on May 12, the same night he was at Dodger Stadium 20 miles from the crime. But that wasnt enough for the LAPD and the prosecutor who had never lost a case and was going to push for the death penalty for Pueblas murderer. . Authors of a book on the scandal-hit ex-monarch say he worried King Felipe might unknowingly fall in love with his half-sister. Long Shot is the story of Juan Catalan who was accused of the execution At the time of Pueblas cold-blooded killing, he was at Dodger Stadium with his six-year-old daughter, watching the home team lose to Atlanta Braves. If youre a fan of this newsletter, youll love our daily podcast The Times, hosted every weekday by columnist Gustavo Arellano, along with reporters from across our newsroom. WebJuan Catalan was arrested in 2003 for the murder of a young girl who allegedly gave up information in a gang bust. And when he was eighteen years old, he grabbed a ball that had been hit for a home run as it was flying towards the stands. Juan Catalan the unlikely Curb your enthusiasm star (She had been a witness in his brothers trial for murder.) Juan Catalan: How Did An LA Dodgers Game Change His Life Drastically? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. I jumped out of my chair.. Many major Spanish outlets picked up the story after a book by two investigative journalists, due to be published on May 8, claimed Juan Carlos had The film had time stamps showing that it was 9:10 p.m., about an hour before the shooting occurred. Juan A year later, gang member Raul Robledo received a life term for Martha's murder. Jessica Tarlov: American Political Commentator & Strategist with Net Worth of $2 Million, Dogecoin Price Prediction: Will It Hit $1 In 2022? 30 Best Documentaries of 2017 You Can Los Angeles: Sunny 94 San Diego: Sunny 86 San Francisco: Overcast 83 San Jose: Overcast 94 Fresno: Sunny 95 Sacramento: Overcast 91. my house? The former king abdicated the throne in 2014 when some of the scandals that have since engulfed him first emerged, such as a secret elephant-hunting jaunt in the company of Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, one of his former lovers. Juan Catalns life changed forever the day he attended a Los Angeles Dodgers game with his little daughter. In the end, the trace of a call proved the Mexican right. The only problem? This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Faqs and Side Effects on, 14 Black owned clothing brands impossible to ignore- Black Lives Matters, Savannah LaBrants Life Explained In 11 Facts, The Beauty of Karnataka- Must-Visit Places for Short Trips, Winter Vacations 2023 in United States, Top10 Destinations Listed Below in the, 11 Romantic Things To Do In the Maldivesfor Couples, How to Plan a Wholesome Trip to South India, The Intersection of Celebrity and Domestic Violence: A Look at the Miles, Amad Diallo A Ivorian Football Sensation, Who is Brian Hollins? Who Is Olly Rix, Is He Married, What Are His Best Works? Alyssa Ros, 23 of Long Beach and Xylona Anita Gama, 22, of Stockton were last seen Sunday evening at Spring Creek Country Club. It is imperative that I find a spot for my customer at Dodger Stadium on that evening. Why is Win Harrison Wilson (Son of Russell Wilson) in Spotlight? In several shots, Juan Catalan is seen in the stands eating a hot dog or watching the game with his 6-year-old daughter. Is Wellness Tea More Beneficial Than It is Been Credited? Catalan was able to produce ticket stubs, but his lawyer, Todd Melnik, knew that would only prove that someone had bought tickets, not necessarily that Catalan had been at the stadium. With his freedom back, Catalan has also not forgotten the show that helped him secure it. Catalan and Melnik are "best friends" now. Juan Catalan, a 24-year-old Latinx man who worked in his familys Los Angeles machining business, was accused of murdering 16-year-old girl Martha Puebla. A Catalan named Albert Sol, who died last year, insisted he was a lost son of the former king, and that DNA testing had proved he was a brother to Ingrid Sartiau, a Belgian woman whose mother worked as a nanny in the home of family friends of the Spanish royal. The problem came on August 12, 2003, when Juan was arrested by the police, accused of having murdered Martha Puebla, a teenager who testified against her older brother in a murder trial. Despite the fact that it was later discovered that the two police officers who investigated Juan and designated him as the shooter had framed him and that, remarkably, one of them is still employed as a police officer Juan claims that he forgives them: You should know that hatred is not something that anyone should carry with them. A loyal follower of the Los Angeles Dodgers, he knew that his teams closer in that long-ago 2003 season, Canadian Eric Gagne, hardly missed the diamond, but on the night of May 12, the pitcher was a disaster and life of a man of Hispanic origin would change radically. In the latest revelations about the wayward ex-monarch, the authors of a forthcoming book entitled King Corp claim that the child named Alejandra was born in the late 1970s as the result of an extramarital affair between Juan Carlos and a Spanish aristocrat. Juan Catalan was exonerated from a He sued the city of Los Angeles and was compensated with $320,000 due to the mismanagement of the detectives in charge of the case. In 2007, Juan received $320,000 in a settlement of his civil lawsuit against the LAPD and the city of Los Angeles for false imprisonment, misconduct and defamation. The truth is, the six-pack a pack of mug-shot photos purportedly bearing Pueblas signature, which police presented to Ledesma, while they were interrogating him over the killing of Christian Vargas was fake: Law enforcement officers had falsified Pueblas identification. Where is Juan Catalan's daughter now? He frantically called the attorney, who agreed to be his defense lawyer. Juan Catalan was involved in Grand Theft Auto, pushed by his older brother, for which he was arrested and marked with a criminal record that would later aggravate his situation, but that he was able to get rid of thanks to a tape that placed him in Dodger Stadium, in a jersey of then-pitcher Kevin Brown. He continued to observe this custom well into his adult life. Whatever Happened To Juan Catalan After His Exoneration? Soon after she was let go, Kirkpatrick claimed that the commission retaliated against her for trying to blow the whistle on allegedly illegal activities by its members. Los Angeles Times, A federal judge signaled today that former Police Chief Anne Kirkpatricks lawsuit against the city of Oakland can proceed to a trial by jury later this year unless a settlement is reached before then. Thats a poison were putting into our bodies, and while it may damage the person you despise, it actually hurts you more than them, and it eats away at your spirit. Although Juan told the police that he and his daughter were at the baseball game on the night of Puebla's death even producing the ticket stubs to prove it his words fell on deaf ears. So he went to Dodger Stadium and pored over internal camera footage in hopes of finding any trace of his client. People Who Served Time For Crimes They Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Man Cleared by TV Footage Gets $320,000 - ABC News @2021 - YourDailyHunt.com | All Rights Reserved. Had they understood what was said on the call sooner, not only would detectives have known about the plot and possibly could have foiled it, they also could have identified who was actually behind the crime and wouldnt have cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and left a scar on a mans life that will last forever. I broke down, Juan recalled of that day. Only a few days before she was killed, she had testified against Mario Catalan, a young man, in a case involving a gang killing in which Mario was charged with being an accessory. It gives me chills to think about.. . What Caused, Can Botox Help You in Looking Young? Instead, its been a windfall for the rich. What is He Up To These Days. The horrifying true story of a man falsely accused of a - The Sun He was suspected by police because the victim was the star witness against his brother two weeks before the murder, and an eyewitness to the murder said the killer was a youngish adult Latino man with a mustache (which also describes Juan). From that moment on, a series of errors by the accusing party, the desperation of the accused and his family due to an unfair accusation would be combined as a fundamental part of the investigation. THE true story of a man who was falsely accused of a brutal gangland murder is being told in a new Netflix documentary. WebIn 2003, Juan Catalan was cleared of murder charges, after outtake footage shot for "The Car Pool Lane" episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm showed him and his daughter attending the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves baseball game some 20 miles from the crime scene at the time of the murder. In the days after the murder in May 2003, he was arrested by cops who pointed a gun to his head after pulling him over in his SUV. Larry added. Her name starts with an M . Email : [emailprotected]. A notorious LAPD settlement, revisited: HBO's role in clearing an Catalan would eventually be awarded a total of $320,000 in compensation for the false accusation. On the walk back to their seats, they were stopped by the members of a TV crew, who urged them not to disrupt the taping. Joey Chestnut and Controversy: Examining the Scandals and Uncovering the Life of Brittney Griner: A Biography. I think they do so because they want to believe that our criminal justice system is perfect, rather than accepting that we incarcerate (and sometimes execute) innocent people, break apart families, and cost taxpayers millions in settlements. Martha had earlier testified in a another gang-related murder case and police were convinced that Juan was the killer. When the event took place, he and Melissa were both there at the stadium to see the Dodgers take on the Braves. In August 2003, the police arrested him outside his home and for a while, it looked as though his life had changed irrevocably. We rewound the tape, and while I was heading up the aisle in the previous image, this individual was sitting just in front of me. Distractify is a registered trademark. A federal jury did find that the two detectives were negligent over the photo ruse. He finally had a clean and clear alibi. Spains disgraced former king, Juan Carlos, only told his son he had fathered a secret love child because he feared the two would meet and fall in love, according to online newspaper El Confidencial. In a stroke of luck, the crew member changed his or her mind, allowing Juan and Melissa to walk through. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Juan Catalan was 24 when he was wrongly charged with gunning down 16-year-old Martha Puebla on her doorstep outside her home in Los Angeles.Martha had earlier testified in a gang-related murder case Netflix is also making a documentary about the disapperance of Madeleine McCann, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Complete Facts on American Professional Golfer, Amanda Balionis Exclusive Details on Career and Personal Front. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. But for some reason, the PA had a last-minute change of heart and let Juan and little Melissa walk to their seats and into the background of the shows action. style My daughter, she looks up and she says 'Dad!'" Lets find out more about him. The days passed and while the presence of Cataln could not be verified in the game and not near the crime scene, the Hispanic man lived hours of terror in a maximum security prison. The discovery seemed a home run for Juan, who by then had been in jail over a month. The Curb Your Enthusiasm episode The Car Pool Lane helped a man named Juan Catalan to prove his innocence. Face in the Crowd | The New Yorker The 29-year-old bartender initially replied, More love coming, Im ready, but his reservations about it were soon revealed in a confessional. Juan All You Need to Know About Controversial Divorce Know All About Ex Wife of Dave Portnoy Joey Chestnut and Controversy: Examining the Scandals and Criticisms of Competitive Eating, Thinking Outside the Box: Unique Animal Companions to Consider, 10 Surprising Facts About Joseph Quinn Aka Eddie Munson, The Intersection of Celebrity and Domestic Violence: A Look at the Miles Bridges Case, Top Tips to Help Make Things More Exciting in the Bedroom. British family with seven children who lost their dad to suicide who are the subject of a heartbreaking new Netflix documentary. I looked at tape after tape.. But in the end, Melnik was successful in locating a phone call that had taken place between Juan and his girlfriend and had been traced to the vicinity of Dodger Stadium. Weird Facts About Dodger Stadium Parking and Chavez Ravine Juan remembered that My cousin used to be a filing clerk at a [law] firm, and he would always go on and on about this kick-ass lawyer, Todd Melnik. He said, I felt like I didnt sleep for six months because there was just so many, so much going on I mean, Id never seen so many people just, you know, beaten, you know? Since abdicating, it has emerged that Juan Carlos used an offshore company to conceal a 100 million (88.3 million) gift from Saudi Arabias monarchy, and he had The excerpt from King Corp explained that the mother of Alejandra was an aristocratic woman involved in fashion who became the muse of a well-known couturier. Some people say that TV has a bad influence on especially younger people.Juan Catalan will wholeheartedly disagree with that. He sourced eight 10-minute tapes before finding his holy grail: Juan, in his No. "It was like any other day, but as soon as I opened the door I was completely surrounded by S.W.A.T. (In 2008, gang member Raul Robledo received a life term for the murder. Juan ostensibly could have left early, driven to the scene of the crime, and still had time to kill Puebla. An investigation by Spanish prosecutors concluded that he had defrauded the state of millions in taxes but he could not be prosecuted as he enjoyed legal immunity while he was king. She contended that Juan had a sufficient amount of time to leave the stadium and drive the twenty miles to the location where the murder took place. As a result, Melnik called HBO and inquired about the possibility of viewing the shows outtakes. It isnt clear if Juan Rodriguez still works for the department. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Kirkpatrick filed her lawsuit in August 2020. As it sailed into the stands, Juan was there to catch the ball. But neither of those moments are as poignant as his May 12, 2003, outing to see his beloved Los Angeles Dodgers. Police arrested Juan Catalan for the murder, even though he insisted he was at a Dodgers game with his daughter when the crime took place. The Best True Crime Documentaries You Find out more, The disgraced former king (left) was allegedly paranoid about what his son King Felipe (right) didn't know, Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014 after having ruled since 1975, Dutch police arrest fake Boris Johnson for drink driving, Sudan heading towards 'full blown catastrophe', says UN, British-Iranian man executed by Tehran 'was MI6 spy', One in four children suffered greater anxiety and depression during pandemic, Police set alight as France suffers largest May Day protests in 30 years, Russia disrupts Ukrainian counter-offensive with ammunition depot strike. Juan Carlos moved into exile in the UAE in 2020. As off-duty officer Michael Beyda wrestled with the burglar who had just shot him multiple times, a terrifying thought passed through his head: This is what death feels like. Los Angeles Times. Since abdicating, it has emerged that Juan Carlos used an offshore company to conceal a 100 million (88.3 million) gift from Saudi Arabias monarchy, and he had to pay more than 5 million (4.4 million) to Spains tax office after not declaring other lavish gifts. As he pulled into the parking lot, a police SUV followed; by the time he opened the door, he had a gun to his head. Did Deanna Burditt Marry Rick Harrison Because Of His Money? Jenya Lano: What Are The Interesting Details To Know About The Actress? Beating the (False) Rap: Life After Netflixs Long Shot Yet despite the settlement, a Gofundme page organized by Melnik last March in support of Catalan says that Juan "still struggles today" financially, working in his father's machine shop to support his three children. Modesto Bee, Californians can now use their library cards to visit state parks for free. We have known this for a long time, said Pilar Eyre, a veteran royal observer. Theres always ways to find evidence that gets overlooked, Melnik said. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. and our Stay on your toes, homie. Malta The Mediterranean Destination for Gambling. Melnik combed through countless hours of stadium security film, but he was unable to uncover anything in the footage that was clear enough to identify Juan. Cookie Notice Melnik gave his assent, which marked the beginning of a deeply passionate bond that would last a lifetime between the two of them. We had to get cable TV because we lived too far from either L.A. or San Diego to get reception on our antenna. Catalan was eventually cleared by an unusual method, ABC News reported. For Juan Catalan, the faults of the criminal justice apparatus briefly showed their terrifying destructive potential when he was arrested for the murder of 16-year-old Martha Puebla. Melnik had assumed it would be cleared up in 24 hours. I wasnt supposed to be at that game, Juan, 39, told The Post. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, A new Netflix documentary is to tell the story of Juan Catalan, a man falsely accused of killing a 16-year-old girl, On the night of the murder, Juan had gone to watch baseball at Dodgers' Stadium in Los Angeles, His legal team were able to prove he wasn't at the scene of the murder thanks to footage shot for the show Curb Your Enthusiasm, Juan and his defence lawyer Todd Melnik in 2004, holding the proof that Juan wasn't involved in the murder, Juan's story has now been made into a Netflix documentary. (Mario was convicted and is currently serving time.) 15 Types, Top Five Ranked Characters of Harry Potter, Know All About Dramatic Character of Mia Benitez played by Sohvi Rodriguez, Know All About Ex Wife of Dave Portnoy -Renee Portnoy? Mario Catalan, the suspect's brother, was a co-defendant in that case. But Juan Catalan said he was at a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game -- not a drive-by shooting -- at the time of the murder. And he produced the ticket stubs to prove it. I love Snickers. Please review our, You need to be a subscriber to join the conversation. The Long Shot is available to view now on Netflix. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Sola died aged 66 last year after collapsing near the Catalan city of Girona where he lived. Only by happenstance would [Curb] be filming in his section that night., Juan was released, but couldnt catch a break. Who Is Traci Lind And Where Is She Today? He didnt recognize the name of the show, and he later confessed that at the time, hed never heard of Curb. Walking into that stadium . Previously, he served as a web editor for NBC New York and NBC Chicago. Then there came another image in which he was standing upright. (Please keep your story to 100 words.). Melnik called it, and a person picked up the phone and said, HBO., He asked if he could view their stadium footage for the show, which had not yet aired. Try searching for the best match or browse the links below: What your credit score starts at can be a deceptive question when asked directly. He didnt recognize the name of the show, and he later admitted that at the time, hed never heard of Curb Your Enthusiasm, but he did remember hearing that Super Dave Osborne, whose real name is Bob Einstein and who played the character Marty Funkhouser on Curb, was somehow involved in the filming. That Have Cracked Real Mysteries, From I felt like I was being framed, he recalled. Go beyond the headlines. Puebla recently asserted during a preliminary hearing regarding a gang murder in which Juans brother Mario was charged with being an accomplice. California Department of Parks and Recreation, Three women, one man die in Mojave mobile home shooting, What was behind the protest against an archaeologist at last weeks L.A. Times Book Festival, Column: If not cops or guns, what will it take to make us feel safe? 27 Kevin Brown shirt, and his young daughter walking to their seats after returning from the concession stand. Oaklandside, Two women who had been reported missing after they didnt return home from a wedding on Sunday were found dead inside a vehicle in a river.