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Black History Month extends beyond one month a year.
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Innocence Project Statement on the Execution of Leonard ‘Raheem’ Taylor
On Feb. 8, 2023, the State of Missouri executed Leonard “Raheem” Taylor without completing a full investigation of his innocence claim. Raheem was convicted for the murder of his girlfriend and her three children in 2004, despite witnesses and evidence placing him in California at the time of their deaths. Governor Mike Parson refused a Feb. 2 request, which the Innocence Project and the Midwest Innocence Project joined, to convene a board of inquiry to thoroughly review both new and old evidence in Raheem’s case. Instead, the State chose the finality of a death sentence over the quest for truth. We want to thank every person who took the time to contact the governor and share Raheem Taylor’s story. Please learn more about Raheem Taylor’s case and read our full statement here.
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 (Images: Hulu, HBO Max)
Watch, Learn, Listen: 15 Documentaries, Podcasts, and Series to Tune Into This Black History Month
Black History Month may be coming to an end, but we will continue learning and growing long after this time is over. These powerful documentaries, narrative films, TV series, and podcasts provide various perspectives on what it means to be Black in America. These are great places to start learning this month and beyond. We encourage you to read more about them and embrace the spirit behind Black History Month not just in February, but all year round.
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 Darrill Henry with his daughter Daranika. (Image: Claire Bangser/Innocence Project)
Support Darrill Henry, Exonerated After 19 Years
Darrill Henry, a father of two young children, was arrested in 2004 and spent seven years in jail, awaiting trial for a crime he didn’t commit — the murder of two women in New Orleans — before being convicted and sentenced to life in prison. In 2020, Darrill’s original trial judge overturned his conviction, ruling that new DNA established his innocence by “clear and convincing evidence.” Yet Darrill had been facing the potential of a retrial until last month, when he was finally exonerated 19 years after his wrongful arrest. Since coming home, Darrill has focused on making up for lost time and experiences, including spending time with his now fully grown children. If you can, please help Darrill as he works to rebuild his life by ensuring that he can pay for housing and other basic needs. Make a donation to his personal fundraiser right now.
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 Rodney Reed in Allan B. Polunsky Unit, West Livingston, Texas in
2015. (Image: Courtesy of Massoud Hayoun/ Al Jazeera)
8 Facts You Should Know About Racial Injustice in the Criminal Legal System
Black History Month is a time to both celebrate the monumental achievements of Black people and to honor those who fought for civil rights in this country. It’s also an occasion to reflect on how far we still have to go for true racial justice. The legacy of slavery, racist Jim Crow laws, and brutal lynchings has translated into modern-day mass incarceration and the disproportionate imprisonment of Black people. These facts and figures show the ways in which racial inequality persists in the criminal legal system today and contributes to wrongful conviction.
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 (Image: Miguel A. Amutio/Unsplash)
Join the Innocence Project 2023 TCS New York City Marathon Team
Are you a runner? We’re inviting you to join our team for this year’s New York Road Runners (NYRR) 2023 TCS New York City Marathon. The race will take place on Sunday, Nov. 5. 2023, and the Innocence Project will be among more than 550 official charity partners providing thousands of runners the opportunity to run in the world’s biggest and boldest marathon. Please read more about this fun and socially impactful marathon. We would love to have you join our team.
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Exonerations Around the U.S.
Exoneration Project client John Martinez was exonerated on Feb. 10, 2023, after spending 23 years wrongfully incarcerated.
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