Getting Jnr Home - P11

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Getting Jnr Home - P11"

Podcast: What I Survived
Host: Jack Laurence
Date: June 9, 2026
Episode Theme:
This episode delivers the exhilarating real-time update of Evaristo Salas Jr.'s full exoneration after nearly 30 years of wrongful imprisonment. Host Jack Laurence chronicles the emotional moments, family reactions, and key legal developments leading to this life-changing news, offering listeners a front-row seat to an extraordinary moment of redemption and freedom.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Build-Up: Legal Proceedings and Hopes

• Background: Evaristo Salas Jr. (known as Junior) has been on trial for his evidentiary hearing—where all previously overlooked evidence was presented in court.

• New Evidence: Testimonies included those of Ofelia Gonzalez, Junior’s mother, and critical reversals from a supposed jailhouse “snitch” recanting his earlier statements.

• Defense Strategy: Junior and his lawyer’s anticipation was that the best probable outcome would be a vacated conviction and perhaps a new trial—not outright exoneration.

• Quote:

  “The best that he could hope for was the fact...that they would eventually rule that with all this evidence that they're going to overturn the conviction and order a new trial.”
  — Jack (02:02)

• Discussion on Vacated Conviction vs Exoneration (04:18 - 05:45):
  Junior explains the legal difference—that a vacated conviction means the old decision is nullified and a retrial may be ordered, whereas exoneration is an official acknowledgment of innocence.

  “The vacating conviction is, is not an exoneration, which is horrible too. They're not saying by vacating my conviction that, oh, you know, you’re exonerating this.”
  — Evaristo Salas Jr. (04:27)

  “Just having it on record that I was exonerated, kind of, that would be my ultimate goal right there.”
  — Evaristo Salas Jr. (05:59)

2. The Morning of Exoneration: Family Reaction

• Breaking News: Host Jack wakes to multiple missed calls from Debbie, Junior’s sister (06:10-07:05).

• Live Reaction: Jack phones Debbie and learns, to his shock and emotion, that not only has Junior’s conviction been vacated, but that he has been fully exonerated and is being released immediately.

  “What the hell happened?” — Jack (07:29)
  “We walked in at 9:00 o'clock and at 9:02 the prosecutor was saying that...” — Debbie (07:32)

  Debbie describes overwhelming emotion and chaos as their large family gathers and prepares to pick up Junior:

  “My dad was sitting there. He called my dad, and...he's like, junior. Junior said they're letting him out right now. We gotta go. We gotta go, man. As soon as he said that, we, like, jumped up. We left our food...running around like chickens without a head.”
  — Debbie (09:15)

• Confirmation: The prosecutor, likely unable to overcome the new evidence and recantations, chose not to retry, leading to the extraordinary outcome.

  “The prosecutor like gave up because of the fact we found we brought so much evidence. So I know they were lying and they couldn't do anything no more.”
  — Debbie (08:20)

3. Emotional Impact and Immediate Aftermath

• Raw Emotion: Both Jack and Debbie are audibly moved; Jack expresses near disbelief and joy.

• Exoneration, Not Just Release: Jack confirms with Debbie several times that this is full exoneration—not just a retrial or technicality.

  “Like they, they. Exonerated. Not. Not overturned, not neutral. Exonerated.”
  — Jack (08:01)

• Family’s Celebratory Chaos: The family’s real, physical response—jumping up, rushing to the prison, and leaving their meal mid-bite—highlights the magnitude of the moment (09:15).

• Jack’s Support and Plans: Jack expresses gratitude, love to the family, and hints at future conversations and possible speaking tours.

  “We’ll get him on for a chat very soon...You know, all this will be behind you very, very soon. You can get on with your life.”
  — Jack (12:20)

4. Looking Forward

• Future Opportunities: Jack mentions the possibility of bringing Junior to Australia and New Zealand for a speaking tour, celebrating his new freedom and sharing his survival story with more people.

• Junior’s Optimism: Even after this ordeal, Junior’s spirit remains unbroken and optimistic.

  “The world is a…is a beautiful place, you know, Australia, New Zealand. Those are really gorgeous places. I’ve watched a lot of the travel channels, so I’ve been there. Not physically, but definitely on TV.”
  — Evaristo Salas Jr. (12:56)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• (05:59) Evaristo Salas Jr.:
  “27 years is gone. I'll never get that back. But just having it on record that I was exonerated…that would be my ultimate goal right there.”

• (07:12) Debbie:
  “So he's exonerated.”

• (07:51) Jack:
  “I don't understand. How is he exonerated all like that quickly?”

• (08:08) Jack:
  “Exonerated. Not overturned, not neutral. Exonerated.”

• (09:15) Debbie:
  “My dad was sitting there...like, dad, dad, calm down, dad...He was literally taking off already.”

---

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:34] — Episode transitions straight to the big news: “He’s exonerated.”
• [03:06–05:59] — Discussion about legal outcomes: vacate vs. exoneration, Junior’s hopes.
• [07:12] — Debbie delivers the news: “So he’s exonerated.”
• [09:15] — Family’s response and rush to pick up Junior.
• [12:20] — Jack’s reaction, plans for Junior’s future, and celebratory closure.
• [12:56–13:21] — Junior’s first words post-exoneration and optimism for the future.

---

Conclusion: A True Survival Story

This episode captures the climax of Evaristo Salas Jr.’s decades-long fight for freedom, culminating not only in his release but his full exoneration. Listeners feel the raw, immediate emotion of a family finally vindicated, and the hope that even the most unjust circumstances can ultimately yield to truth and persistence. The tone is emotional, celebratory, and deeply human—underscoring the transformative power of survival and justice.

Transcript

[Verizon Advertiser]

Hey honey, it's mom. Did you know if we switch to Verizon, we can get four phones for $0 plus four lines for $25 a line. Call me back me again. That's just $100 a month for four lines on unlimited welcome plus four phones. No trade in needed. Call me. It's mom. America's best network. Verizon. That's the one we're talking about. I'll send you text.

[Everisto Salas Jr.]

America's best network based on RootMetric's best overall mobile network performance.

[Jack]

US second half 2025 four new lines on a limited welcome and autopay.

[Everisto Salas Jr.]

See verizon.com for details.

[Debbie]

A better help ad. Hold on one second. I just need to. What if you had a room where no one interrupts? No notifications, no expectations, just space to talk with BetterHelp Therapy happens in a space that's yours. Visit betterhelp.com randompodcast for 10% off your first month of online therapy.

[Alltrails Advertiser]

We all belong outside. We're drawn to nature. Whether it's the recorded sounds of the ocean we doze off to or the succulents that adorn our homes, nature makes all of our lives, well, better. Despite all this, we often go about our busy lives removed from it. But the outdoors is closer than we realize. With Alltrails, you can discover trails nearby and explore confidently with offline maps and on trail navigation. Download the free app today and make the most of your summer with Alltrails.

[Debbie]

He's exonerated.

[Jack]

No way. Okay. What a morning it has been. Yes, I'm Jack. One minute remaining. You know the drill. Wow. So for those of you who may not be part of our Facebook group and haven't seen the news, Evaristo Salas Jr. Has today been fully exonerated and is on his way home to his family. For those who don't know, Junior's been in trial all this week. He's had his evidentiary hearing. Basically all the evidence that didn't come up in his initial trial. These judges that said, yep, this needs to be looked at and we. We need to find out what's going on here. So that trial's been happening this week. They've had. Ofelia Gonzalez, the partner of Jose Aurelio has been on the stand. His mother was on the stand. That was a very emotional day. Apparently, this supposed snitch gave his testimony as to the fact that everything he said in the first place was false and was completely fabricated. Detective Jim Ravart, the detective behind this entire case, he got up on the, he's been up on the stand. So it's been a big week for the family. Huge week. And Junior said to me going into this, the best that he could hope for was the fact that, you know, you know that they would eventually rule that with all this evidence that they're going to overturn the conviction and order a new trial. That was the best we could hope for. They could turn around and say, you know, give you a new trial. There's no way. Surely the prosecution's going to come back and say no. Yeah, okay, we'll take this back to trial when you've got less than three years left, surely.

[Everisto Salas Jr.]

Yeah. And if they even decided that. So my most likely. Because the way he's been kind of operating, the prosecutor attorney has just been dragging everything out and just kind of just letting it go as long as it can. Which is horrible if you think about it. I mean, I mean I have, even on this fence I got less than three years left, you know, but he's still dragging as much as he can because that's the only hand he has to play.

[Jack]

Yeah.

[Everisto Salas Jr.]

So if they were to grab me to try, I was gonna sit back. As soon as they grant us that, that vacate my commission and grant me the trial, I would ask for a 60 day speedy trial.

[Jack]

Yeah.

[Everisto Salas Jr.]

Just right off the bat, the only thing option he can do is probably just drag it out to the day that we start, you know, or we start that initial, you know, process of going to trial. And that's what my lawyer thinks. Well, he'd be foolish to even try because there's, it's just, there's so much, there's so much wrong about this case and even the judge might just dismiss it right off bat. But to take it to that point, my lord's like, the only thing he's probably going to do is just try to drag it up until that point, which is horrible. But that's what he's been doing since the get going. And so I hope not. I hope that once they vacate my conviction and we go back where they remind me for a new trial, that right there he just says, you know what done his died.

[Jack]

So when, when you, when we say vacate your conviction, that's not an exoneration, is it? That's just. Well, what can you explain the vacate conviction? What that, what that would mean?

[Everisto Salas Jr.]

Yeah, the vacating conviction is, is not an exoneration, which is horrible too. They're not saying by vacating my conviction that, oh, you know, you're you're exonerating this. You know, they have to actually use that wording in order actually to exonerate you. So vacated. My condition would mean that they vacate the decision of the jury and the trial and they pretty much the, the conviction is gone and then they remand for a new trial. And so then it's up to the prosecutor, attorneys I would have. That's why. So if they were to actually exonerate me, then I'd probably just be released. And I don't know if they can even. I don't think they can even do that. Their court deals can even do that. I think the only option they have is to vacate the conviction and the remand for a new trial, because the whole system is based on your due process rights and all that kind of stuff, you know, and whether you had a fair trial. You know what I mean? So it's a strange part of the American system, you know, so.

[Jack]

So I mean, say obviously, best case scenario, they come back and vacate the conviction and order for a new trial. You know, obviously the prosecutor, we would hope would turn around and say, well, you know, we're not, we're not going to retry this case. Obviously that's, that's brilliant. You get to go home. But obviously, ultimately we need here an exoneration. So then once you're, once that conviction's vacated and you're out of there, would your plan be then, with your team to go for that exoneration?

[Everisto Salas Jr.]

Yeah. Our next step would be somehow, some way, you know, go for that exoneration in one form or another. That's what really matters to me. And I mean, for them to just vacate my conviction, dismiss it, they're not taking any responsibility for it. No. It's just. Okay. Yeah, yeah, okay, you're out of here.

[Jack]

Yeah.

[Everisto Salas Jr.]

27 years is gone. I'll never get that back. But just having it on record that I was exonerated, kind of, that would be my ultimate goal right there.

[Jack]

That was it, basically. And that was this week. A big week for Junior and his family. His family and supporters have been there all week. Unfortunately, it was a closed trial, so I couldn't watch. Debbie has been updating me every single day and telling me what's been going on and who's been on stand and what's been said, as well as Junior's partner as well, who lives over in Europe, she's been emailing me every day with up on what's been happening. So it's been A big week. And then. So I wake up this morning at 6am and I have four missed calls from Debbie Junior's sister. I'm like, well, that's weird. Four missed calls. There was one at like 1am and 3am and then like two at 6am I said to my wife, I've got four missed calls here from Junior's sister. She's like, well, that's weird. You should probably call her back. I'm like, absolutely. So I ran downstairs, I switched on my desk and my studio here, and I hit dial. And I was not prepared for the news that I was about to receive.

[Debbie]

Hello?

[Jack]

Hey Debbie, it's Jack. How are you?

[Debbie]

Hi.

[Jack]

What's, what's, what's happening?

[Debbie]

So he's exonerated.

[Jack]

No way.

[Debbie]

Yes. No way. Online it. No, he's, he's, he's free taping footage and we're on our way to pick him up right now.

[Jack]

Oh my God.

[Debbie]

I know.

[Jack]

She. What the hell happened?

[Debbie]

I don't know. We walked in at 9:00 o'clock and at 9:02 the prosecutor was saying that

[Jack]

Debbie, I'm gonna cry.

[Debbie]

Announced that he. I know. I think we already cried so much.

[Jack]

I don't understand. How is he exonerated all like that quickly?

[Debbie]

I don't know. I honestly, I can just say like, like exonerated.

[Jack]

Like they, they. Exonerated. Not. Not overturned, not neutral. Exonerated.

[Debbie]

Everything. No.

[Jack]

Oh my God.

[Debbie]

Yeah, exactly. It is. We weren't expecting now because it's. Remember this was an appeal court.

[Jack]

Yes. Just to see if they need. He was gonna get a new trial.

[Debbie]

Expect that. Yeah, exactly. We're just waiting for a new trial and then that's it. The prosecutor like gave up because of the fact we found we brought so much evidence. So I know they were lying and they couldn't do anything no more.

[Jack]

Oh my God.

[Debbie]

So they gave up.

[Jack]

Just amazing.

[Debbie]

Yes.

[Jack]

You're literally going to pick him up right now.

[Debbie]

Yes. So. Well, they had told us at first, right. Because you know, Junior has an assault charge from like 2000 or something back in the prison. And so they were saying, well, he still has that charge because when you have a charge like that, you have to do it after your time is served. And so then we're just like, okay, they're like, we're gonna try to get it like, like basically erased, Right. For time served. And then that was it. Like they go, it might take a day or two days or a couple days that, you know, he's actually let out, you know.

[Jack]

Oh, man, that's amazing.

[Debbie]

And then all of a sudden, so we're sitting there, and we were already crying because of all that. And so we sat there, and we started eating, right? And we're waiting for the lawyers to call us, and my brother had already called us, and he's like, okay, can. You know, he was talking to us and stuff, and, like, we're, okay, okay. We'll wait for you to call us or something. My dad was sitting there. He called my dad, and we have barely started eating right? And this is like, our whole family. There was like, 20 some of us. And we're sitting there, you know, we're all talking, and they call my dad. I see my dad get up from the table. He's like, right now. Right now. Like, I'm gonna go. I'm go with you right now. I'm gonna go with you right now. I'm like, dad, dad, calm down, dad. Like, he was literally taking off already. I'm like, dad, sit down. Calm down. What's wrong? He's like, junior. Junior said they're letting him out right now. We gotta go. We gotta go, man. As soon as he said that, we, like, jumped up. We left our food. We're like, oh, my God, we gotta pay. Like, we're like, just, like, running around with chickens without a head.

[Jack]

Oh, my God. I cannot believe they're letting him out right now.

[Debbie]

Yes. And the lawyers, they're all. Everybody is gonna meet us there right now.

[Jack]

Oh. And yes, Debbie, that is just, like, the best news I could ever get. That is so amazing.

[Debbie]

Oh, I know. I know. I know. It is amazing.

[Jack]

I saw two. I saw, like, three missed calls from you this morning. I said to my wife, I said, junior, sister's tried to call me three times. She goes, well, that sounds odd. I said, yeah. She's like, you better call her back. I'm like, yeah, I don't know what's going on. Oh, my God.

[Debbie]

Yeah. Because I called you. I was gonna tell you about us going to court and how we felt about it.

[Jack]

Yeah.

[Debbie]

And kind of an update.

[Jack]

Yeah.

[Debbie]

And then all of a sudden, I'm like, okay, I need to call him, because he needs to know that he got exonerated.

[Jack]

Oh, Debbie, that is just. That is. I am so unhappy about. That is just so. Yeah.

[Debbie]

Sorry. Yep. Yes.

[Jack]

Thank you so much for letting me know.

[Debbie]

Yeah. He wanted me to make sure to call you, let you know.

[Jack]

Thank you so much. And obviously, I know there's lots of catching up and all the rest of it to do, but can you just let him know that whenever he's, like, had a moment to come down from cloud nine, can he. He can give me a call, like we won't get interrupted. It'll be amazing.

[Debbie]

Yeah, okay, I'll tell her.

[Jack]

All right. That's so amazing. Debbie, thank you so much. Love to the family. What a day. All right, I'll talk to soon.

[Debbie]

Okay. Okay, thank you. Bye.

[Verizon Advertiser]

Bye.

[Jack]

So Everisto Salas Jr. After almost 30 years of imprisonment, has been fully exonerated. Now, I don't know the full ins and outs and the details of everything yet, but Junior is, I believe, potentially already out of prison. Right now, of course, I am not high on the list of phone calls, but I hopefully will get a call from Junior soon as to how he's feeling and what's happening and all the rest of it. So I just wanted to give you guys this quick update because obviously it's just happened just this morning, and I will bring you, obviously, all the details and the information about what's happened and hopefully a chat with our man, ever, Risto Salas Jr. On the outside of prison. It's just such a great day. Super pumped. Happy Friday, Legends. If you're listening to this as it comes out, thank you so much for everyone's comments and support for Junior as well. I know he'll appreciate it, or he does appreciate it. He tells me regularly. So. And yeah, we'll get him on for a chat very soon, mate. Fingers crossed. You know, all this will be behind you very, very soon. You can get on with your life. We'll get. Get you over here in Australia. I've already floated the idea of. Of you and I going on a bit of a speaking tour around Australia and New Zealand, and I've got a hell of a lot of people very excited about that, that possibility. So would love to do that with you at some point down the track.

[Everisto Salas Jr.]

Oh, yeah, definitely. Well, I'm really looking forward to that, you know, and we definitely will make it happen once all this passes, you know, because like I said, the world is a. Is a beautiful place, you know, Australia, New Zealand. Those are really gorgeous places. I've watched a lot of the travel channels, so I've been there. Not physically, but definitely on tv.

[Jack]

All right, brother. Have a. Have a good night, my friend, and I'll talk to you soon. Okay?

[Everisto Salas Jr.]

It was good talking to you and I'll talk to you soon, too.

[Jack]

See you, Brian. Bye.

[Verizon Advertiser]

Now more people than ever can bring in their bill for a better deal at Verizon. Got AT&T or T Mobile. We got you Xfinity or Spectrum. You too. So tell your friends, your family, your quirky neighbor Jeff. Grab your megaphone and yell it from the rooftop. Get a better deal at Verizon because chances are anyone in shouting distance is included. Bring in your att, T Mobile, Xfinity or Spectrum bill and we'll give you a better deal on the best network come by Verizon today. Best Network based on RootMetric's best overall mobile network performance US 2nd/2025 all rights reserved. Must provide recent Consumer Mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply. Could AI help you do more of what you love? Workday is the AI platform for HR

[Debbie]

and finance that actually knows your business.

[Verizon Advertiser]

We help you handle the have to dos so you can focus on the can't wait to do's. It's a new workday.

[Debbie]

So good, so good, so good.

[Alltrails Advertiser]

New markdowns up to 70% off are at Nordstrom Rack stores now. Stock up and save big on shoes, tops, dresses, accessories and more must haves for summer. Join the Nordy Club to unlock exclusive discounts. Shop new arrivals first and more. Plus buy online and pick up at your favorite Rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack.