NY drops case against man in '88 murder of parents

Prosecutors said Monday they would not retry a man who spent 17 years in prison after making what he said was a bogus confession to killing his wealthy parents.

The decision by the state attorney general's office ended the criminal case against Martin Tankleff, 36, who was a high school student when he was accused of the September 1988 double slaying in the family's Long Island home.

In December, an appellate court ruled that key evidence in the case had been overlooked and said Tankleff was entitled to a new trial. He was freed on bond.

Suffolk County prosecutors opted against a second trial, and after a six-month review, the attorney general's office reached the same decision.

Tankleff, who was supported by several dozen relatives throughout his ordeal, said the decision was "20 years overdue. ... I really just look forward to getting on with my life."

Businessman Seymour Tankleff, who ran a string of bagel shops, and his wife, Arlene, were attacked in their waterfront home on Sept. 7, 1988. Arlene Tankleff was found bludgeoned in her bedroom; Seymour was stabbed in his study and died about a month later.

Their son was questioned by detectives after he called to report the attack. The detectives falsely told him that his father had awakened from a coma and named him as the killer.

At that point, Tankleff wondered aloud if he might have "blacked out" and killed his parents, citing anger over a variety of slights. But he immediately recanted the confession, refusing to sign what the officers had written.

Tankleff and his lawyers argued that a family business associate who owed money to his father was the real culprit, enlisting local thugs to commit the murders. The lawyers said Tankleff still might file a civil suit against authorities over their handling of the case.

"Marty spent 17 1/2 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit," attorney Bruce Barket said. "So if there is a civil suit, it seems he certainly deserves some compensation."

Over the years, Tankleff's defense team filed numerous appeals. Finally, an appeals court ruled in December that it was "probable" that a new jury would render a different verdict.