12 Moments of Joy and Celebration From 2021
Last year was filled with new and intense challenges for so many as the pandemic continued to wreak havoc in our communities. But despite moments of struggle, we saw small steps forward and celebrated moments of light. Take a minute to look through some of the Innocence Project’s brightest moments of the year:
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For 23 Years, Prosecutors Illegally Hid Evidence That Could Have Exonerated Rodney Reed
In 1998, Rodney Reed, a Black man, was convicted of the 1996 murder of a white woman named Stacey Stites in Bastrop, Texas. Rodney has maintained his innocence for more than 20 years. It was recently discovered that the prosecutors at Rodney’s 1998 trial illegally concealed evidence that could have exonerated him. Read more about Rodney’s case and then share the news with your networks on social media.
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19 Powerful Statements from Pervis Payne’s Resentencing Hearing
Pervis Payne has spent 33 years on death row for a crime he’s always said he did not commit. Last month, at a two-day resentencing hearing, 19 family members, friends, and prison officials testified to Pervis’ “loving” and “gentle” character, and demonstrated that he would not pose a threat to society if released. We’ve compiled the most compelling moments from the testimony — take a look.
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Books That Inspired the Innocence Project in 2021
Our staff put together some must-reads that inspired them to keep pressing forward in challenging times and remind us all why we’re in this fight. The list includes books by scholars, lawyers, exonerees, and children of incarcerated parents. If you’re looking to level up your understanding of justice and equity in the new year, this is a great way to get started — check out the full list.
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Exonerations Around the World
Innocence Project New Orleans client Kendall Gordon [[link removed]] was exonerated on Dec. 16, 2021, after spending 12 years wrongfully incarcerated. Innocence Project Brasil [[link removed]] client Silvio José da Silva Marques was exonerated on Dec. 17, 2021, after six years of wrongful incarceration. Georgia Innocence Project client Devonia Inman [[link removed]] was exonerated on Dec. 21, 2021, after more than 20 years of wrongful incarceration. Innocence Project at University of Virginia School of Law [[link removed]] client Eric Weakley was exonerated on Jan. 3, 2022,
after spending nearly seven years wrongfully incarcerated.
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The Innocence Project works to free the innocent, prevent wrongful convictions, and create fair, compassionate, and equitable systems of justice for everyone. Founded in 1992 by Barry C. Scheck and Peter J. Neufeld at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, the organization is now an independent nonprofit. Our work is guided by science and grounded in antiracism.
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