Next year, we’re planning to push forward policies that address police accountability and transparency.

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John —

Before Giving Tuesday tomorrow, I want to tell you why funding the Innocence Project’s work is critical to so many people ([link removed]) .

In October 1983, I was arrested for a crime I didn’t commit — the rape and murder of a 19-year-old woman in Tampa, Florida. The case against me was weak from the start. There was no physical evidence or eyewitnesses to tie me to the crime.

The state ended up using bite mark evidence, a pseudo-science, and an unreliable jailhouse informant to convict me. The informant, who had been facing multiple life sentences, was offered a plea deal and sentenced to five years in prison. After I was convicted, the prosecutor in my case helped the informant get a further sentence reduction and he was immediately released.

My case might sound like a rare fluke of the system, but the scary thing is: it’s not that uncommon. The use of unreliable jailhouse informant testimony is a major factor in wrongful convictions. The promise or expectation of receiving a lighter sentence or other benefits for their testimony creates a strong incentive for these informants to lie.

But I’m happy to say that finally, after spending nearly 37 years behind bars for a crime I didn’t commit, I was exonerated this summer after a rape kit thought to have been destroyed was found and tested for DNA.

If it wasn’t for the tireless work of the Innocence Project lawyers and staff, I wouldn’t be here today, ready to celebrate the holidays with my family.

I’m so grateful that you’ve supported the Innocence Project before, and I’m asking you to make another contribution of whatever you can to help keep funding this important work. ([link removed])
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Robert DuBoise reunites with his mother Myra DuBoise in Bowling Green, Florida following his release on Aug. 27. Image: Casey Brooke Lawson/AP Images for the Innocence Project.
Walking out of that nightmare and hugging my mother and sister after almost four decades was bittersweet. I know I can never get back the birthdays, holidays, and precious time I lost with them.

I’m rebuilding my life now. And while I’m incredibly grateful to all of the lawyers who helped get me out, I know there are countless innocent people like me still behind bars, and they need support.

So in the spirit of Giving Tuesday, please consider making a donation to the Innocence Project so they can continue helping people like me get the freedom they deserve. ([link removed])

Thank you for your support,

Robert DuBoise
Exonerated in 2020
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