- _The Wrong Man_ (1956) is a classic film noir directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Henry Fonda as Manny Ballestero, a New York musician falsely accused of armed robbery and attempted murder.
- Ballestero was a real person, born in Havana in 1919 and raised in New York City. He worked as a musician, playing the bass and bongos, and was well-liked by friends and colleagues.
- The events portrayed in the film are largely based on the true story of Ballestero's wrongful arrest and conviction. In 1953, he was mistakenly identified by eyewitnesses as the perpetrator of a robbery at an insurance office in Queens. Despite his alibi and the fact that the true culprit had already confessed to the crime, Ballestero was convicted and sentenced to 17 years in prison.
- During his time in prison, Ballestero maintained his innocence and appealed his case. He was granted a new trial in 1958 after the real perpetrator implicated Ballestero's lookalike, Frank O'Leary, in the robbery. The judge in the new trial declared Ballestero's confession a "coerced admission" and declared his innocence, leading to his eventual release.
- After his release, Ballestero and his wife, Rose, filed suit against the City of New York and sought monetary compensation for his wrongful imprisonment. They settled the lawsuit for a modest financial award.
- Ballestero struggled to rebuild his life after the trauma of his experience, but he returned to playing music and eventually toured with his band, The Mambo Aces. He later worked in the music industry and as a sound technician for CBS.
- Manuel "Manny" Ballestero passed away in August 2008 at the age of 89 in Queens, New York.
Ballestero's case highlights the fallibility of eyewitness testimony, the importance of due process, and the devastating consequences of wrongful imprisonment. His story provided a strong base for Alfred Hitchcock's suspenseful and thought-provoking film "The Wrong Man."