In 2002, with the help of the Innocence Project, I became the 99th person in the United States to be exonerated thanks to DNA testing. And in 2012, I joined the Innocence Project’s Board of Directors where I have seen firsthand the tireless commitment of our executive director, Maddy deLone.
“Maddy has not only been a mentor and a friend to me, she has become part of my family.
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I’ve watched Maddy dedicate herself to making sure people across the country have a clear understanding as to why and how wrongful convictions happen, and to always include the voices of those who have been exonerated.
That commitment extends to the Innocence Project’s own staff and board. Because of her leadership, the Board has two members—myself and Dr. Yusef Salaam, one of the Exonerated Five who was wrongfully convicted in the case of the Central Park jogger. Together with Maddy, we established an Exoneree Advisory Council comprised of exonerated people who guide the Innocence Project on how we can better help those we serve. Maddy has always been a champion for our voices, and she will be missed.
Marvin Anderson
Exonerated in 2002
Innocence Project Board of Directors
Started in 1992 as a legal clinic at Cardozo School of Law, the Innocence Project is now an independent nonprofit, affiliated with Cardozo, that exonerates the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reforms the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. www.innocenceproject.org
