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Here’s what happened at Innocence Project in August:
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Marcellus Williams. (Image: Courtesy of Marcellus Williams’ legal team)
ACT NOW: There’s just 14 days left to stop the Sept. 24 execution of Marcellus Williams
These next 14 days are critical as we approach Marcellus Williams’ execution date. Despite his long-standing assertions of innocence and no credible evidence connecting him to the crime, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is fighting to execute him anyway. Now, we’re waiting for a decision from the Aug. 28 hearing, where the office of St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell conceded that the prior administration mishandled evidence that contributed to Marcellus’ unreliable murder conviction and death sentence.
We’re counting on you to act now to stop Missouri from making the irreversible mistake of executing an innocent man.
Unless we take action immediately, Marcellus will be executed on Sept. 24. That’s why we're counting on you to help stop Missouri from making an irreversible mistake:
Join Marcellus' Advocacy Team
Text “Marcellus” to 97016 |
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Share Marcellus' Story Far and Wide
Post, Comment, and Share
#SaveMarcellus #MarcellusWilliams |
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Robert Roberson. (Image: Courtesy of Robert Roberson’s legal team)
Help Us Reach 100,000 Signatures Before Oct. 1!
We have less than 50 days until Robert Roberson’s execution on Oct. 17 — so we need supporters like you to act now and sign our petition.
Robert, an autistic man, has spent more than 20 years on Texas’ death row despite overwhelming evidence of his innocence. And unless Texas Gov. Greg Abbott or the courts intervene, Robert will be the first person in the U.S. executed under the debunked shaken baby syndrome.
Leading specialists and experts have determined that no crime occurred here. Even the lead detective on the case who helped put Robert on death row is convinced that he made a mistake and Robert is innocent.
With Robert’s Oct. 17 execution date rapidly approaching, we need you to act now and stop Texas from executing an innocent father:
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Last Chance to Memorialize Innocence Project’s 32nd Anniversary
In case you missed it, we’re honoring 32 years of fighting to free the innocent and transform our criminal legal system — and we’ve partnered with Chicago-based artist Dwight White to create a unique line of limited-edition merchandise.
Dwight’s artwork highlights freedom from boundaries and constraints — a theme that he sees in the Innocence Project’s mission of restoring freedom for the wrongfully convicted — and how wrongful conviction can impact anyone.
We’re thrilled to offer new monthly donors a limited-edition t-shirt featuring White’s art:
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After nearly 40 years, Robert DuBoise, 59, speaks at a press conference minutes after being released from Hardee Correctional Institute. (Casey Brooke Lawson/AP Images for The Innocence Project)
Florida’s Compensation Law is Failing the Innocent People it Promised to Protect
Did you know that since passing the Victims of Wrongful Incarceration Compensation Act nearly two decades ago, only six percent of exonerees in Florida have received compensation? It’s barely delivered on its promise — all because of its restrictive eligibility requirements.
While nothing can undo the trauma endured and time spent behind bars, financial compensation is a way for states to acknowledge the harm caused by a wrongful conviction and support exonerees as they rebuild their lives post-release.
Learn more about the restrictive compensation law and urge Florida lawmakers to continue fighting for fair exoneree compensation below:
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Remembering Jonathan Barr of the of the Dixmoor Five
We’re heartbroken to share that Jonathan Barr was tragically killed in a mass shooting in Chicago on Aug. 20. He was a pillar of strength within the Innocence movement, always willing to support fellow exonerees returning home.
“Jonathan’s death is a huge loss to the innocence movement,” said Peter Neufeld, Innocence Project co-founder and attorney for Jonathan.
Jonathan was one of the five defendants known as the Dixmoor Five. In 1997, five teenagers were wrongly convicted of the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in Dixmoor, Illinois, largely based on coerced false confessions. Four of these men were represented by the Innocence Project and were ultimately exonerated when DNA testing identified the real perpetrator of the crime.
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Exonerations Around the U.S.
Innocence Project of Texas client Benjamin Spencer was exonerated on Aug. 29, 2024, after serving 34 years wrongfully incarcerated.
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