Minnesota Dad Bryan Hooper Sr. Freed After 27 Years Following Star Witness Confession in 1998 Murder Case
Minneapolis, MN – After nearly three decades behind bars, Bryan Hooper Sr. has been exonerated and freed from his life sentence for the 1998 murder of 77-year-old Ann Prazniak. This remarkable turn of events unfolded when the key witness who initially testified against him, driven by overwhelming guilt, confessed to committing the murder herself.
Hooper Sr. walked out of Stillwater Correctional Facility on Thursday and embraced his children, ending a 27-year ordeal. His exoneration was announced by the Great North Innocent Project and granted by the Hennepin County District Court after receiving a handwritten confession from Chalaka Young, who admitted to killing Prazniak.
How Guilt Led to the Truth
In April 1998, neighbors discovered the body of Ann Prazniak inside a cardboard box in her Minneapolis apartment. She had died from asphyxiation over two weeks before police found her. During that time, her apartment was reportedly used as a drug haven and for prostitution.
Initially, Chalaka Young denied any involvement in the murder despite her fingerprints being found on tape similar to that used on Prazniak’s body. Under threat of murder charges, she falsely accused Hooper Sr., claiming he forced her to act as a lookout during the murder, helped hide the body, and threatened her life. Hooper Sr. admitted to being at the apartment but consistently denied any role in the killing.
Young was serving unrelated criminal charges at the time of Hooper Sr.’s trial and received a reduced sentence for cooperating with prosecutors. Four other witnesses, all offered incentives, also falsely testified against Hooper Sr. but have since recanted their statements.
“I am not okay any longer with [an] innocent man sitting in prison for a crime he did not commit. Soul [sick] purpose here is not to make any excuse but to take responsibility for two innocent lives that I have destroyed and…to make true amends for once in my life,” Young wrote from prison.
Justice Served After 27 Years
Young, who is currently serving an eight-year sentence in Georgia for aggravated assault, wrote a letter in July confessing to the murder and admitting responsibility. This confession was corroborated by investigators and recorded phone conversations with family members.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Morarity expressed regret over the wrongful imprisonment but emphasized the importance of correcting the injustice.
“We are convinced that Bryan Hooper did not commit that crime; he has been in prison for 27 years for something he didn’t do. We can never return what was taken from Mr. Hooper in 1998 and for that, I am sorry. However, we can do the right thing today, and today we are joining the petition to vacate Mr. Hooper’s conviction.”
Originally sentenced to three life terms with the possibility of parole after 30 years, Hooper Sr. is now a free man, reunited with his family and looking forward to reclaiming lost time and milestones. His daughter, Bri’ana Hooper, highlighted the painful years lost and the hope for the future.
- 27 years spent wrongfully imprisoned for a crime he did not commit.
- The murder victim, Ann Prazniak, was found asphyxiated inside her apartment in 1998.
- False testimony led by Chalaka Young contributed to Hooper’s conviction.
- Young has since confessed to the murder and is currently serving an unrelated sentence.
- The case will be reopened by the Minneapolis Police Department for further investigation.
Next Steps in the Case and Legal Implications
The wrongful conviction and subsequent exoneration highlight critical issues within the criminal justice system, particularly regarding coerced testimony and prosecutorial incentives.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office confirmed the case will be referred back to law enforcement for renewed investigation. Meanwhile, Chalaka Young has not yet faced charges related to the murder, although her release from prison on unrelated offenses is anticipated in about four years.
Great North Innocent Project spokesperson Hayley Poxleitner emphasized the importance of reclaiming lost opportunities for Hooper Sr. and the ongoing effort to prevent similar miscarriages of justice.
To learn more about this extraordinary case, visit the original report at New York Post.
What do you think about this case of wrongful conviction and exoneration? Have you or someone you know experienced similar challenges with the justice system? Share your thoughts in the comments below!