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The people behind wrongful incarceration.
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John,
Earlier this month, we talked about the long way we still have to go for racial justice and equity, and how the legacy of slavery, racist Jim Crow laws, and hateful lynchings has translated into modern-day mass incarceration.
We also want to share the stories of several Innocence Project clients — show you the people behind wrongful incarceration and tell you about their passions, hopes, and dreams — provide you with updates on ongoing cases, and give you some actions you can take to help.
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 Gerry Thomas, 64 outside of his apartment in Sterling Heights,
Michigan on Feb. 7, 2022. (Image: Sylvia Jarrus/Innocence Project)
Creating Was His ‘Spiritual Food’ Through 30 Years of Wrongful Conviction
Gerry Thomas was wrongly convicted and incarcerated for an assault and attempted murder in Detroit and spent nearly 30 years in prison for something he didn’t do before being exonerated in 2020. But Gerry never let his joy of creating be stifled. While incarcerated, he learned leatherworking and quickly began designing and making beautiful pieces for others in prison and even for guards. Read more about how Gerry used his creativity to “keep love in my heart” during his difficult days.
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 Huwe Burton holds an Eric B and Rakim
record on Feb. 5, 2022, in Charleston, South Carolina. (Image: Gavin McIntyre/Innocence Project)
When No One Would Listen, This Exoneree Spoke Through Hip Hop
Huwe Burton was just a teenager from the Bronx when he was wrongly convicted and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. While incarcerated, he turned to music to express himself. “With everything that was taken away from me, music assisted me, helped me move forward, and try to keep myself in a good headspace to have the strength to continue to fight.” Read more about Huwe’s story and learn how music helped him get through some of his darkest times.
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 Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, honoree at the Third Annual Judge James B. Parsons Legacy Dinner, February 24, 2020, University of Chicago Law School. (Image: Lloyd DeGrane)
The Historic U.S. Supreme Court Nomination of Judge Ketanji Jackson
On Friday, President Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States — the first Black woman to be nominated to the high court. If confirmed, Judge Jackson will bring deep experience in litigation, criminal legal reform, and the representation of marginalized communities — a point of view that has been missing from the nation’s highest court. Hear Executive Director Christina Swarns’ thoughts on the historic nomination.
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Sandra Reed, the mother of Rodney Reed, shows her continued support for her son outside a Texas courtroom on Oct. 10, 2017. (Ralph Barrera/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Judge at Rodney Reed’s Innocence Hearing Abandoned His Duty
Rodney Reed, a Black man from Texas, has spent the last 23 years on death row for the murder of a white woman named Stacey Stites — a crime he’s always maintained he did not commit. Earlier this month, Rodney’s legal team filed a brief opposing Judge J.D. Langley's findings at his most recent hearing because, they argue, the judge abandoned his duty to be a neutral, independent fact-finder. He essentially copy-and-pasted what the State put forward and failed in his duty to carefully and independently assess the credibility of 47 witnesses. Take a moment to learn more about Rodney’s case for innocence today.
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 From left to right: Assemblyman Clyde Vanel, Sen. Myrie Zellnor, Sharonne Salaam, and Raymond Santana introducing a criminal justice package in New York on Dec. 14, 2021 in Central Park. (Image: Elijah Craig/Innocence Project)
New Yorkers Are Challenging Wrongful Convictions
According to the National Registry of Exonerations, half of the 2,947 people exonerated since 1989 are Black, even though Black people make up just over 12% of the U.S. population. Right now, New York has the third highest number of wrongful convictions in the nation, and its current law makes it impossible for innocent people who plead guilty to get back into court without DNA evidence — but we’re trying to change that. We’re asking New York lawmakers to pass critical legislation that would enable a legal pathway to exoneration for so many. Read more about the bill, and if you’re in New York, sign the petition.
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