Larry David Helps Juan Catalan Avoid Wrongful Conviction

In August 2003, twenty-four-year-old Juan Ignacio Catalan drove to his father's mechanic shop. That morning, everything in his life changed.

Juan Catalan's girlfriend, Alma Oseguera, and their six-year-old daughter, Melissa, rode in the truck while Catalan pulled into his father's shop parking lot. Stepping out, Catalan faced immediate action.Law enforcement surrounded Catalan. They had their guns drawn. They forced Catalan to the ground and took him into custody. Catalan shouted to his father, “Dad, look at what they're doing to me.”Catalan asked why he was arrested. They told him he was suspected of murder.

Catalan suffered nightmares the night before, fearing an abduction.The LAPD accused Juan Catalan of killing Martha Puebla, a sixteen-year-old from Sun Valley. This happened on her front porch two months earlier, May 12, 2003. Puebla left the house after a phone call. Forty minutes later, her father heard gunshots and found his daughter dead.Several months before, Catalan's brother, Mario Catalan Jr., drove with friend and gang member Jose Ledesma. A man named Enrique Acosta drove up to them. Ledesma shot Acosta, making Mario the getaway driver. Puebla, Ledesma's underage girlfriend, reportedly knew about the murder and Mario's role.

The LAPD accused Juan Catalan of murdering 16-year-old Sun Valley resident Martha Puebla.Martha Puebla.Catalan allegedly murdered Puebla on her front porch two months earlier, May 12, 2003. Puebla left the house after a phone call. Forty minutes later, her father heard gunshots and found his daughter dead.

Months before, Catalan's brother, Mario Catalan Jr., drove with friend and gang member Jose Ledesma. A man named Enrique Acosta then drove up. Ledesma shot Acosta, making Mario the getaway driver. Puebla, Ledesma's underage girlfriend, reportedly knew about the murder and Mario's role.

Police arrested Juan Catalan for Puebla's murder. They claimed Catalan matched the police sketch of the man who shot her on May 12.

Catalan protested his innocence. Police interrogated him and sent him to a Supermax prison. This situation was extremely dangerous for Catalan because he faced murder charges.

Catalan learned the LAPD's Special Investigation Section (SIS) was investigating him. This group of 20 law enforcement agents used large budgets and harsh tactics. They faced criticism for their 'shoot first, ask questions later' methods. The SIS was often called the "Death Squad.The Death Squad had 45 suspects killed before they could be booked for alleged crimes.

During his interrogation, Catalan heard witnesses claim he shot Puebla—a lie. When Catalan asked for a polygraph test to prove his innocence, the request was denied.

LAPD suspected Vineland Boys gang member Jose Ledesma murdered Enrique Acosta. During Ledesma's questioning, police showed him six suspect photos, including his own. Martha Puebla supposedly circled these photos.

The evidence against Ledesma seemed strong, butit was all fake.Detective Juan Rodriguez forged Puebla's name on the witness statement and circled Ledesma's photo. However, Ledesma believed Puebla had turned him in.

Ledesma also killed Christian Vargas outside Puebla's home before killing her. Puebla gave reluctant answers to the LAPD, adding to the Acosta murder.Puebla had to testify.She gave reluctant non-answers that did little to help the prosecution.

Juan Catalan had the chance to attend a baseball game that same evening Martha Puebla was murdered.Catalan attended a game at Dodger Stadium.Catalan went to the game at Dodger Stadium with his daughter, cousin, and a friend. As a lifelong baseball fan, Catalan felt disappointed when the Dodgers lost 11-4 to the Atlanta Braves, even though they were tied with them for most of the game.

After the game, around 10 p.m., Catalan called his girlfriend and gave his cousin a ride before going home with his daughter.

Catalan's girlfriend, Alma, later told him he was at the game the night Puebla was murdered. Law enforcement did not believe he attended, even though Catalan showed ticket stubs.

Catalan's older brother, Mario, had a history of crime. Catalan got involved when he was a teenager.In the "Long Shot" documentary, Catalan recalled getting arrested as a getaway driver in one of Mario's minor crimes. Catalan stated, “That was the first time I got arrested. I definitely wanted to make that trip my last trip to jail.”The documentary shows Catalan recalled getting arrested after driving Mario in a petty crime. Catalan stated in the documentary, “That was the first time I got arrested. I definitely wanted to make that trip my last trip to jail.”

Drugs belonging to Mario were found at the Catalan home during the Acosta case search. After police threatened Mario Sr. with jail time for the drugs, Juan Catalan took the blame.Prosecutor Beth Silverman believed Catalan was guilty despite having no history of violence. Silverman never lost a case and got defendants the death penalty.Drugs belonging to Mario were found at the Catalan family home during the Acosta case search. Police threatened to jail Mario Sr. for the drugs, so Juan Catalan took the blame.

Catalan had no history or criminal record of violence. Prosecutor Beth Silverman believed he was guilty. Silverman never lost a case and got defendants the death penalty.Catalan's attorney, Todd Melnik, believed he was innocent and intended to prove it. Melnik said in "Long Shot," “I just had a gut feeling. There's just no way this kid could have committed a murder. It just seemed completely out of his character.”

Silverman grouped the Acosta and Vargas murders into one case. She called Puebla a witness despite the teenager claiming she saw nothing. Mario asked his family to attend his hearing, and Catalan appeared in court to back his brother. This was the only time Puebla and Catalan met, yet the prosecution believed Catalan had motive for her murder, which happened eleven days later.

Catalan's lawyer, Todd Melnik, thought he was innocent and planned to prove it. Melnik stated inLong Shot“I just had a gut feeling. There's no way this kid could have committed a murder. It seemed completely out of his character,”

Police could have stopped Martha Puebla's murder and Catalan's arrest and jail time if they had not ignored evidence. Detective Martin Pinner receiveda tape recordingPolice recorded a phone call where gang member Jose Ledesma spoke about making Martha 'Disappear' after police suggested Puebla pointed the finger at him.Ledesma said on the call“You know the b*tch who lives… by my house? […] Her name starts with an M. I need her to disappear. She’s throwing dimes.” This call started the May 12 hit on Martha Puebla.

The evidence was right there. The tape stayed on Pinner's desk until Puebla's wrongful death case opened in January 2005. Ledesma's talk seemed in Spanish, and the tape never got translated, so Pinner had no idea what it showed.

As Catalan and Melnik got ready for trial, Melnik asked Catalan if he recalled anything odd about the Dodgers game that could help place him there. Catalan recalled seeing actor Bob Einstein, 'Super Dave Osborne,' which made Melnik find something surprising: the HBO show'Curb Your Enthusiasm'The show filmed at Dodger Stadium that same night Catalan attended.

The show filmed Episode 6 of Season 4, “The Carpool Lane.” In this episode, Larry David picked up a sex worker just to use the carpool lane into Dodger Stadium. This meant David was at the game that evening. Catalan even remembered seats were set aside for the filming.

Todd Melnik first contacted Dodger Stadium for footage from the May 12 game. They gave it to him, but the footage showed mostly players. Wide crowd shots hid Catalan in the crowd.

Melnik next contacted HBO and'Curb Your Enthusiasm'the show agreed to let Melnik review the footage at their studio.'Curb Your Enthusiasm'The show team and Larry David watched the footage with Melnik. To Melnik's surprise, Catalan appearedHe walked past Larry David., the two practically touched.

“That's him,” Melnik shouted. Larry David later said in'Long Shot', '[Melnik] literally jumped out of his chair. There he was. It was exciting to tell you the truth.”

Even though three shots from'Curb Your Enthusiasm'placed Catalan at Dodger Stadium on May 12, prosecutors believed he was still responsible for Puebla's murder. The prosecution pointed out theTime stamps.On the'Curb Your Enthusiasm'footage showing Catalan were from 8:55 - 9:15 pm. The 911 call about Puebla's murder did not happen until almost 90 minutes later at 10:43 pm. Prosecutors guessed Catalan left Dodger Stadium after 9:15 pm, had time to drive to Puebla's home in Sun Valley, and shot her.

Todd Melnik showed during the trial that since Martha Puebla never identified Mario in the Enrique Acosta shooting, Juan Catalan had no reason to kill her. Still, the prosecution insisted Catalan had a motive to kill Puebla.

Cell phone pings on May 12 helped clear Juan Catalan. Melnik proved Catalan's phone pinged Dodger Stadium at 10:12 pm and again on the way home. This meant Catalan could not reach Martha Puebla's house before the 10:43 pm 911 call.

Judge Leslie Dunn ran the case and dismissed it because ofLack of evidence.Catalan said he did not grasp the legal talk. Melnik quietly told him, “it's over” while Dunn spoke. Juan Catalan became free after five months in a maximum security prison for a crime he did not commit.

In 2008, four men were arrested. They received life sentences without parole for the 2003 murder of Martha Puebla. Jose Ledesma was one of them, whoHe admitted his role in Puebla's death.He admitted his role in Puebla's death.

After the judge dropped Catalan's case, the courtroom cheered. But prosecutor Beth Silverman stayed firm.She believed Catalan was responsible, stating, “We will keep investigating until we get what we need.”Despite the dismissal, Catalan served two more weeks in prison for drugs found at the family home, for which he took responsibility. After embarrassing the LAPD and prosecutors, Catalan was put in a cell with gang members who had recently seen a member killed by a rival gang. Catalan stayed awake fearing for his life while his cellmates whispered about revenge and saw blankets arrive— “If you know anything about jail, that’s how you deliver a knife.”

The dismissal did not end his time in prison for an innocent crime. Catalan spent two more weeks in prison for drugs found at his family home, taking responsibility. After embarrassing the LAPD and prosecutors, Catalan shared a cell with gang members. A rival gang member had recently killed a fellow member. Catalan stayed awake, fearing for his life, hearing cellmates whisper about an eye for an eye. He saw them get blankets delivered. Catalan stated, “If you know anything about jail, that’s how you deliver a knife.”

After the murder charge dropped, Juan Catalan sued the City of Los Angeles and the LAPD. The court awarded him $320,000. Catalan used the money for college, earning an associate's degree with plans for a bachelor's in business.

After the murder charge was dropped, Juan Catalan sued the City of Los Angeles and the LAPD. The court awarded him $320,000. Catalan used the money for college, earning an associate's degree, with plans for a business bachelor's degree.

Despite the injustice against him, Catalan chose to.According to Catalan, “No one should walk around with hate in them. That's poison in our bodies... it doesn't hurt the person you hate, it hurts yourself, and it eats away at your soul.”Catalan and his lawyer, Todd Melnik, remain friends. Melnik said, “We go to Dodger games and people go frickin’ nuts.”

Catalan and his lawyer, Todd Melnik, stay friends. Melnik said, “We go to Dodger games and people go frickin’ nuts.”