Franky Carrillo

Francisco "Franky" Carrillo is an American politician, who was wrongfully convicted of the 1991 murder of Donald Sarpy and served twenty years in prison before his conviction was reversed by the Los Angeles County Superior Court on March 14, 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, Carrillo currently serves on the Los Angeles County Probation Oversight Commission.

Wrongful murder conviction

Carrillo's conviction relied on eyewitness testimony from six people. The witnesses later admitted they did not have a view of the shooter, and instead had been influenced by police officers, and each other, to identify Carrillo. Two men have since confessed to the crime, and stated Carrillo was not involved.

Although always professing his innocence, Carrillo was found guilty at his second trial after his initial trial resulted in a hung jury, and subsequent appeals. After Carrillo's case was taken on by Ellen Eggers, the Northern California Innocence Project, and attorneys from Morrison & Foerster, LLP, he was able to conclusively prove his innocence.

Carrillo's story has twice been featured on the podcast Strangers by Lea Thau. His story is also told in the Netflix series The Innocence Files.

Career

While in prison for a crime for which he was later exonerated, Franky Carrillo worked several jobs and learned multiple trades: teacher’s aide, counselor’s clerk, Braille transcriber, youth diversion counselor, auto mechanic, dietitian, physical therapy assistant, and many other skilled professions.

He served as an elected member and former chair of the Democratic Central Committee, where he co-chaired the Judicial Interview Committee.

As an environmental advocate, Carrillo was a proponent of Measure A, the critical L.A. County parks and water bond measure that passed in 2016, because it provided funding for open space and improvements first and foremost in the communities that needed it most – marginalized neighborhoods. Franky also publicly supported Measure W, the 2018 Safe Clean Water Act for L.A. County, which according to a recent report helped divert 96 billion gallons of urban runoff from recent rainy season to recharge our water table instead of flowing into the ocean.

Working closely with state legislative members of both houses and with stakeholders deeply devoted to social justice, Franky Carrillo supported and testified in committees for Senate Bill-9 Juvenile LWOP resentencing, Senate Bill-260/261youthful offender parole hearing, Senate Bill-923 (eye witness bill), Assembly Bill-1987 (post conviction discovery materials), Senate Bill-336 (Reentry services available to exonerees), Senate Bill-980 (which improves access to physical and biological evidence), Senate Bill-1058 (to expand false testimony claim to include outdated scientific testimony), and Assembly Bill-454 (which exempts wrongfully convicted individuals from paying state income tax on compensation).

Franky Carrillo has been a big advocate for youth. Including his work on closing of the Eastlake juvenile hall, one of the oldest problematic juvenile halls in the state of California. Franky Carrillo also helped in establish the Franky Carrillo Teen Court, a widely recognized alternative to the L.A. County Superior Court. Carrillo Teen Court is designed to empower students by educating them on the law, the power of their voice, and the courtroom process.

Franky Carrillo founded a nonprofit, The Restorative Project, which hosts formerly incarcerated individuals on an open, natural ranch to help them adjust to being free—and being in the natural environment is crucial to healing, especially when people are spending more and more time online.

He currently serves at the Chief Advisor to the Innocence Project and Special Advisor to the California Innocence Advocates.

In April 2021, Carrillo was selected by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to serve as the Chair of the Leadership Team of the county's Probation Oversight Commission.

In April 2023, Carrillo announced his candidacy in the 2024 elections to represent California's 27th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. He withdrew from the race in October 2023.

2024 California State Assembly race

In October 2023, Carrillo launched a campaign for the California State Assembly in District 52. He finished 2nd behind Democrat Jessica Caloza in the primary election on March 5, 2024. Carrillo and Caloza will face off in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Artist and activist Shepard Fairey’s Studio Number One worked with California Assembly candidate Franky Carrillo on a campaign poster for Carrillo’s run to represent District 52 in Los Angeles County. Credited for creating the original artwork is the design team at Studio Number One and creative directed by Shepard Fairey. The poster will become the image of the campaign’s get-out-the-vote effort to educate the public on this historic race, as Franky Carrillo could become the first exoneree elected to the California State Assembly.

Franky Carrillo is fighting to protect vulnerable people in Assembly District 52 because he knows what it is to be a target and victim of failed systems. His life was deeply affected by the big issues that are most urgent to the people of his district—including public safety, healthcare, education, equity, job training, housing, and environmental racism.

His top legislative priorities include:

1. Housing as a human right
2. Reshaping the criminal justice system, public safety, and gun control
3. Equitable access to clean air and water; quality health care; and education.Special Interest Groups including polluters, the prison industry, and corporate landlord lobbyists, are spending big against him in Assembly District 52 with fear mongering tactics. As of 10/25/24, they have spent $2.2 MILLION on mailers, digital ads, and paid precinct walkers. The largest contributors to the independent expenditure committees opposing Carrillo include:

• Chevron $35,000
• California Real Estate Political Action Committee (Crepac) - California Association of Realtors
• California Real Estate Independent Expenditure Committee - California Association of Realtors
• Sempra ($25,000) And PG&E Corporation ($250,000)
• Building Industry Association ($150,000)
• Development Interests ($400,000)
• California Correctional Peace Officers Association Political Action Committee ($205,000 between two separate IE committees).

In the Assembly race Franky Carrillo has been endorsed by La Opinion, Knock LA, LA Defensa, LA Progressive, Initiate Justice Action and supported by unions, grassroots Democratic Party clubs, justice reform advocates, and Democratic State Senator Maria Elena Durazo along with many others.

Assembly District 52 includes communities within Los Angeles County. They are, in alphabetical order: Atwater Village, Cypress Park, Eagle Rock, East Hollywood, East Los Angeles, Echo Park, El Sereno, Elysian Heights, Elysian Valley, Glassell Park, Glendale, Highland Park, Lincoln Heights, Los Feliz, Montecito Heights, Monterey Hills, Mt. Washington, and Silver Lake.

Personal life

Carrillo has three children.

External links

• Official website
• "Murder conviction overturned after Francisco Carrillo spent 20 years in L.A. jail" - Crimesider - CBS News
• "A Mass seeking peace, mercy" – Los Angeles Times
• "Man goes free after murder conviction is overturned" – Los Angeles Times