We are deeply saddened to share with you that our client Dion Harrell passed away unexpectedly last week.

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John —

We are deeply saddened to share that our client Dion Harrell passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 15. He was 53 years old. Dion was the proud father of two daughters and a loving grandfather to three grandchildren.
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Dion Harrell (Image courtesy of the Harrell family).
In 1988, Dion was accused of rape — a crime he did not commit — and four years later, despite having a strong alibi, he was wrongly convicted. He ended up serving four years in prison, and after his 1996 release, spent nearly two decades on the sex offender registry.

The criminal legal system stole years of Dion’s life and then continued to hold power over him for decades. Being on the sex offender registry for a crime he didn’t commit made it difficult for Dion to secure housing, find a job, support himself, and rebuild his life after his wrongful imprisonment.

But Dion refused to give up, and continued the fight to clear his name. The Innocence Project took on his case in 2013, and he was exonerated in 2016.

In honor of Dion’s memory, please take a moment to learn more about his story and read some reflections from Innocence Project staff on the powerful impact he had on all of us. ([link removed])

After his exoneration, Dion continued to fight for fair compensation for himself and other exonerees in New Jersey. And through it all, Dion never gave up. He always broke through the pain with a smile. “I went through a whole lot, but I kept my head up through it all,” Dion told us in 2016.

Dion was still a fun-loving guy who’s described by his family and friends as the kind of person who would “give you the shirt off his back.” In his freedom, he enjoyed bicycling, fishing, playing basketball, and spending time with his loved ones. Even after being exonerated, he regularly called our staff just to check in and say hello.

Please take a moment today to read more about Dion and the impact he had on those around him, and then help share his story with others. ([link removed])

Today, we honor Dion and grieve alongside all of those whose lives he touched. We send our deepest condolences to his family. He will be sorely missed.

With sympathy,

— The Innocence Project Team
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