A state court in Pennsylvania has ruled that a convicted killer who escaped from jail last year has forfeited his right to appeal his original life sentence.
Danilo Cavalcante managed to escape from a lockup in Chester County while he was awaiting transfer to a state prison, where he would serve a life sentence for the murder of his ex-girlfriend. In a daring escape, he climbed up between two walls in the jail exercise yard, navigated over razor wire, and bravely jumped from a roof. His escape sparked a nationwide manhunt, which ultimately led to his capture two weeks later, garnering significant media attention.
During his time as a fugitive, his lawyers took action by filing a motion that questioned the evidence and specific elements of his sentence in the murder case.
According to the Pennsylvania Superior Court, the motion was deemed legally invalid as fugitives in Pennsylvania do not possess such rights while they are on the run. As a result, this impacted the deadline for Cavalcante’s lawyers to appeal his life-without-parole murder sentence.
The motion, if valid, would have extended the appeal deadline. However, the court ruled that Cavalcante’s subsequent appeal came eight days too late, as the original deadline remained intact.
In August, Cavalcante admitted guilt for the crime of escape and was subsequently given a sentence of 15 to 30 years. This was in addition to his existing life sentence without the possibility of parole.
