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Martin Tankleff

Martin Tankleff

Marty Tankleff was wrongfully convicted on June 28, 1990, for the murder of his parents, Seymour and Arlene, two years earlier. At the time of his arrest, Mr. Tankleff was a 17-year-old student, embarking on his Senior year of high school. In the blink of an eye, his life changed. After being sentenced to two consecutive terms of 25 years to life, Mr. Tankleff filed a 2003 appeal with new evidence from almost two dozen witnesses.

His conviction was ultimately overturned, and Marty was released after nearly 17½ years in prison on December 27, 2007. He is a nationally recognized exoneree and is on the National Registry of Exonerees.

After Marty was exonerated, he was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2020. Since Marty’s admission, he has obtained favorable results on behalf of his legal clients.

Marty Tankleff is the current Peter P. Mullen Distinguished Visiting Professor at Georgetown University. At Georgetown, Marty teaches a class alongside his childhood friend, Professor Marc M. Howard, called Making an Exoneree, an undergraduate class where students reinvestigate potential wrongful conviction cases. In the past five years, Marty and Marc have walked three innocent men out of prison. Through the work at Georgetown, Marty and Marc are either co-counsel or advisory team members on cases in several different states.

Guest Appearances
May 24, 2023

Marty’s Story (Part 2)

Proving His Innocence, Unwinding Corruption, and Getting the Hell Out

May 24, 2023

Marty’s Story (Part 1)

Organized Crime, Questionable Officials, and a False Confession...