In this episode of Lawyers Who Care, host Andrew Samalin speaks with Queens-based criminal defense attorney Eric Shapiro Renfroe, whose determination led to the long-overdue exoneration of Steve Lopez—one of the young men caught up in the infamous 1989 Central Park jogger case.
Eric shares how Lopez, unlike the “Central Park Five,” had pled guilty decades earlier to avoid the risk of a wrongful conviction at trial—only to be overlooked when the others were exonerated. For years, he lived with the stigma of a conviction for a crime he didn’t commit. Most lawyers told him nothing could be done—until he met Eric.
In just a few years of practice, Eric tackled what others deemed impossible, navigating complex legal barriers to clear Lopez’s name. His story is a powerful reminder that when you see something wrong, it’s worth fighting for—no matter the odds.
📞 Contact Eric:
- Google “Eric Shapiro Renfroe” for contact details.
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