Albany murder suspect says police have the wrong man

ALBANY - A murder suspect in the Albany County Jail for the past five months claims Albany police arrested the wrong man.

Ronald Wright is accused of killing Ondrell Daniels in a Central Avenue bar last spring.

Wright doesn't just claim he's innocent -- he says he's being denied justice.

All he wants is a grand jury hearing, a proceeding given to all defendants, but late Monday afternoon the chief assistant district attorney told NewsChannel 13 he doesn't have what he needs to move forward with the case.

Dressed in a jail jumpsuit and with his lawyer by his side, Wright described witnessing the crime he's accused of committing.

"I heard the shot, but I was in the front and it happened in the back. I didn't see what happened, nothing," he said.

Daniels was killed at the Broadway Club last May. Two weeks later Wright was arrested for the murder and he's been in jail ever since. He says it never even occurred to him that he was a suspect.

"I'm a victim myself. I'm a victim," he said.

"They ain't got no evidence they want to make any black guy take a fall for this," Wright added.

A grand jury must now decide if there's enough evidence for a trial, but it's been five months and the district attorney's office hasn't presented the case. Wright's lawyer calls it a classic case of justice delayed, justice denied.

"At least get the process moving. He's just sitting here waiting," defense attorney David Ehrlich said.

"Witness memories go stale, evidence disappears, witnesses disappear. This has been five months. There is no more serious a case than murder and he deserves to have his day in court," Ehrlich added.

Ehrlich contends that eye witnesses told him the shooter was Jose Dale, who is already in jail on charges he shot Albany Police Department Detective Sean Slingerland in August.

"They're trying to hide the fact they messed up by moving fast and they got to answer up soon," Wright said.

The chief assistant district attorney admits he doesn't have enough evidence to move forward with the case on Dale or Wright, but there was, at least, probable cause to arrest Wright.

That's a statement that Wright disputes.

"I feel it's prejudiced against me. They know these people, know I'm innocent," Wright said.

This case is complicated by the fact that Wright, who is from Long Island, could be found in violation of his parole by being up here in Albany the night of the shooting. So even if the murder charges are dropped, he would serve time for a parole violation.