TACOMA, Wash. — Twelve years after he was released from wrongful incarceration, a Tacoma man has now received the final vindication he was hoping for.
Jason Puracal is an American citizen who was living in Nicaragua in 2010 when he was arrested by police on charges of drug trafficking, money laundering and organized crime. Despite the fact that no drugs or money were ever found, a judge ordered Puracal serve a 22-year prison sentence.
He had little to no contact with his wife Scarleth and son Jabu. But Puracal's sister Janis devoted her life to proving her brother's innocence. It's a story KING 5 followed closely at the time.
Puracal's case drew international attention among human rights advocates and U.S. Lawmakers. After nearly two years in a maximum security prison, Puracal was freed in 2012.
"I get up every morning, and thank God that I can breathe fresh air. I can finally sleep better at night," said Puracal, reflecting on the ordeal over a decade ago. "But it's still hard to convince people that I had nothing to do with the crimes that I was charged."
After a decade-long legal battle, the Inter-American Commission has ruled that Jason's human rights were violated. Nicaragua now must provide financial compensation to Jason, conduct a criminal investigation of those responsible for his arrest, and initiate legal reform to limit pretrial detention like his.
"This ruling by the Commission feels like a weight is taken off of my shoulders," he said.
This is the last possible step in the process; there is no appeal from the Court's decision.
Puracal's legal team, which consists of his sister Janis, and Seattle University Law Professor Thomas Antkowiak say the case is a significant victory.
"The case was so clear," said Antkowiak. "Jason and his family are so committed to social justice within Nicaragua, that I think the case became very compelling".
Janis is using the case to continue seeking societal change in Nicaragua.
"Wrongful conviction is not an 'us versus them' problem. This is not just a Nicaragua problem," she said. "A big part of this ruling is the recognition that innocent people are in prison all over the world, and that we have to do more for that."
Jason is now a successful entrepreneur and youth soccer coach in the Seattle area. And although rebuilding his life has proven difficult, he is devoted to living it to the fullest.
"I'm still trying to put the pieces back together," he said.
Nicaragua does not appear to be complying with the reparations required by the commission's ruling.
Puracal and his legal team are taking their case to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which is considered the highest human rights authority in the Americas.