BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: Claudia Morales, the girlfriend of Brooklyn poet and activist Ryan Carson who was killed in an unprovoked attack by Brian Dowling on October 2, faced further scrutiny after a prosecutor said that she "mis-picked" his suspected killer during a photo lineup.
According to New York Daily News, Brooklyn prosecutor Jordan Rossman said Morales, who was an eyewitness of Carson's fatal stabbing, "mis-picked" the killer during Dowling's arraignment after she was shown a group of photographs and asked to identify the suspect.
"She picked a different person than the defendant out of the photo array," Rossmann reportedly told a Brooklyn Criminal Court on Thursday, October 5.
Rossman also said that two other witnesses identified Dowling from the photo lineup, The New York Post reported.
He further shared that the 18-year-old was arrested after officials seized a knife and found clothing in his home that matched with the suspect who attacked Carson, as seen in the surveillance video.
The latest claim against Morales comes after her friend dismissed a viral rumor on social media which alleged that the former did not provide a physical description of the killer while speaking to cops to avoid "stereotyping."
Internet reacts to Claudia Morales allegedly 'mis-picking' Ryan Carson killer
The internet was quick to react to prosecutor Rossman claiming that Morales "mis-picked" Carson's stabbing suspect during a photo lineup.
"It was weird from the beginning, but this is getting weirder," one person said.
"The gf wants to help the killer go free. really dedicated to the cause!" one mocked.
"Soon, they'll set up a gofundme for the killer," added another.
"She has an ACAB tattoo, Gregg. She would rather help the killer than the NYPD," noted one person.
"All the new 'mis' words are euphemisms for lying," a fifth commented.
One person summarized their understanding of the situation, stating, "So... She accused an INNOCENT man, and got $$$ from a GoFundMe. Justice works in mysterious ways."
A seventh person suggested, "They should all be charged with conspiracy."
One wrote, "Something doesn't add up on any of this. The reaction of the girlfriend in the video is also very odd, where she's just standing there while he's in the street. she doesn't even kneel down?"
Before another added, "The Ryan Carson story makes me physically ill. She just watched him get killed. Now this."
While several social media users called out Morales over the prosecutor's claim, some defended her, stating that identifying a suspect during a photo lineup can be challenging.
"It's **very** easy for a victim to pick the wrong person from a lineup. Adrenaline is crazy," one said.
"Witness testimony is notoriously unreliable and it can be challenging, remembering someone you’ve only seen once, briefly," another added.
A third said, "Line ups are kinda notorious for that though- I don’t think she tried to ruin the case."
The same person added, "When someone goes through something like that, they got so much going through their head that it’s not uncommon to mistake the guy for one of 5 other similar looking guys a week later."
What did experts say about Claudia Morales 'mis-picking' Ryan Carson's killer?
In the wake of the ongoing scrutiny over Morales' actions, legal experts told The Messenger that her inability to identify the suspect charged in Carson's stabbing could complicate the case.
Former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Bederow noted that Morales failing to identify Dowling was "potentially devastating and crippling" to the prosecution's case but clarified that it "doesn't by any means mean that it's over."
"It's really too early to tell," Bederow, who currently works as a defense lawyer and is not involved in Dowling's case, said.
He also mentioned that there seems to be other evidence in the case that could mitigate any possible damage from the photo array misidentification.
"If they found a weapon at this guy's apartment and it has the DNA of the victim, that's compelling in the other direction," Bederow stated.
He said that there are several killings that do not involve eyewitnesses and authorities were likely now "investigating it as a circumstantial case."
"What the cops and prosecutor are going to have to do is work backward to find this guy's location at the crime scene," he explained.
Bederow also said that this would mean finding as many surveillance cameras as possible to track Dowling's movements scene and potentially using cellphone data as proof of his possible presence at the crime scene.
Former Brooklyn prosecutor Julie Rendelman told the outlet that the failed photo array was "something the defense can use to raise potential reasonable doubt" but noted that "the stabbing is caught on video and the defendant’s face is fairly clear."
"It will likely be argued by the prosecution that the witness’ trauma in watching her boyfriend be stabbed before her eyes impacted her ability to identify the defendant," said Rendelman.
Dowling's defense lawyer, Kenneth Jamal Montgomery, also agreed that the girlfriend's inability to identify his client could weaken the case against the 18-year-old suspect and potentially prove to be valuable at trial. "However, I am waiting to review the discovery and all of its context," Montgomery added.
