Michael Renteria exonerated of 2013 attempted murder charges

A Los Angeles County judge has vacated the convictions of Michael Renteria, 38, finding him factually innocent of two counts of attempted murder. Renteria had been serving an 80-year sentence following a 2013 drive-by shooting in Lynwood that injured two brothers.

The decision follows a joint motion from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the California Western Innocence & Justice Clinic. Prosecutors stated that new evidence, which first emerged in 2016, pointed toward a different individual as the perpetrator of the crime.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the ruling as a victory for justice, noting that the Justice Conviction Review Unit conducted a years-long investigation to validate Renteria’s innocence. Renteria spent 12 years in prison for the charges.