Venezuelan migrant arrested for assaulting police officers in Times Square 'exonerated,' was mistakenly identified

A 22-year-old Venezuelan migrant accused of participating in the brutal assault against two police officers in Times Square was 'exonerated' after being mistakenly identified, according to prosecutors.

The exoneration by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg occurred weeks after Jhoan Boada was criticized for showing the middle finger to press cameras as he left the courthouse on Jan. 27, sparking widespread political outrage.

“After a thorough and diligent investigation, Jhoan Boada has been cleared as a participant in this assault,” the prosecution said in a statement on Friday.

“Our investigation has revealed that Marcelino Estee, not Jhoan Boada, is the individual described in this complaint, dressed in a black and white jacket and pink shoes committed this assault,” it added. “Marcelino Estee has been charged for his involvement. Therefore, we will dismiss this complaint against Jhoan Boada.”

Estee, another Venezuelan migrant, appeared in court on Friday and was processed on an assault charge. He was set bail at $15,000 in cash.

Boada's attorney, Javier Damián, pointed out that his client was a victim of a 'rush to judgment' by the media, police, and elected officials.

Boada, who lives in a homeless shelter in New York City, had maintained his innocence since being detained. During his appearance on January 31st, Damián asked the judge to widely disseminate images of the assault, stating, 'Anyone who sees the video footage will know that Boada is not there.'

Prosecutors agreed to release him without bail, arguing that he had no prior criminal record and that they were still working 'to conduct a thorough analysis of the incident and the defendant's role in it.