Kris Maharaj, Wrongfully Imprisoned for 38 Years, Dies at 85

Kris Maharaj, a British citizen wrongfully convicted of murder and imprisoned for 38 years, has died at the age of 85.

His wife, Marita, expressed her devastation over his passing in a prison hospital, stating he died “alone in that horrible place.”

Maharaj, originally from Trinidad, was convicted in 1986 for the murders of Derrick and Duane Moo Young, a father and son, in a Miami hotel room.

Despite a judge ruling his innocence in 2019, Maharaj remained behind bars due to a US Court of Appeals decision that deemed the evidence of his innocence insufficient for his release.

His lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, founder of the human rights organization Reprieve, announced Maharaj’s death on social media, emphasizing the relentless injustice Maharaj endured. “Kris Maharaj died after 38 years fighting injustice,” Smith wrote.

Marita Maharaj, who had vowed to be with her husband until death parted them, shared her heartbreak with Sky News.

“I promised Kris in 1976 that we would be together until death us do part, and I am devastated that he died alone in that horrible place,” she said. “I want him brought back to the UK for burial as the last place he would want to be is where he was falsely charged with murder. Then I will devote the rest of the time that God allows me to clearing his name, so I can go to meet him in heaven with a clear conscience that I have done my best for him.”

Kris Maharaj moved to England in 1960 and enjoyed a life of affluence, owning racehorses and Rolls-Royces.

His life took a dramatic turn when he traveled to Florida with his wife to purchase a retirement property. During a dinner outing, he was arrested and subsequently convicted of the Moo Young murders within months.

Reflecting on his conviction, Maharaj told Sky News four years ago, “When they found me guilty, I passed out, I fainted. I just couldn’t believe you could be found guilty [of] something you didn’t do – murder.”

Maharaj’s death sentence was overturned in 2002, largely due to the efforts of Reprieve and a campaign involving numerous British politicians, and was commuted to life imprisonment.

Despite this, Maharaj’s pleas of innocence persisted, and in 2019, a judge confirmed that he had proven his innocence. Yet, the ruling fell short of securing his freedom.

Smith recounted the painful task of informing Marita Maharaj of her husband’s lonely death. He praised her support, describing her as a “unique spouse” who “stood by Kris for 38 years” and “knew” his innocence.

Maharaj consistently maintained he was nowhere near the Dupont Plaza Hotel’s Room 1215, where the murders occurred. His wife corroborated his alibi, asserting she was with him at the time of the killings.

Smith vowed to continue the fight to exonerate Maharaj posthumously. “We will certainly fulfill her wish and his, that is to continue to exonerate him for this crime that he patently did not commit,” he said.