After fifteen and a half years in prison for a crime he says he didn’t commit, a fresh burst of hope has worked its way into the cell of Mahdi Ali. His legal team has filed an application with Hennepin County’s new Conviction Integrity Unit and recently received assurance from the unit’s director, Andrew Markquart, that the office would give Ali’s case its “full attention.”
Just two months after forming, The Coalition to Free Mahdi Ali continues to grow, with teachers, organizers and community members committing to fight to liberate Ali from his life sentence. On June 10, 2025, the coalition held a press conference at the Hennepin County Government Center — watch the powerful video below.
