Podcasts about exoneree

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Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2021 58:57

In April 2010, Eric Anderson was arrested and charged for involvement in a robbery and beating of two men outside their Detroit home. At the time of the crime, Anderson was actually at a Coney Island, ten miles from the scene, where he was shot in the foot, necessitating immediate medical attention. Despite hospital records confirming his treatment, and Coney Island security footage substantiating his injury, Eric would spend nine years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, asserting his innocence the entire time. The Michigan Innocence Clinic re-investigated Anderson's claims of innocence and, following an interview with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office's Conviction Integrity Unit, his sentence was vacated on April 30th, 2019. How did such a convoluted chain of events transpire when multiple pieces of evidence corroborated Eric's claims of innocence? Why was he allowed to languish in prison for so long when it was clear he couldn't have committed this robbery? Tune in to this mind-blowing, all-new installment of Open Mike to find out! Show Notes [00:01] Welcome to Open Mike! [00:20] Eric Anderson's background and bio. [02:10] Welcome to the show, Eric. The story is kind of crazy and convoluted but, not to do a spoiler alert, you're out of prison after spending nine years wrongfully incarcerated. Let's show how ridiculous this conviction was. [03:10] April 18th, 2010, about 3:30 in the morning. Tell us about your stop at Coney Island. What happened there that led to you being shot in the foot? [04:14] You walk into the Coney and almost immediately get shot in the foot. Then what happened? [06:02] You didn't want to go to Detroit Receiving Hospital, which was closer, you chose to go to Sinai Grace because that's the hospital you were familiar with? These facts become very relevant to your trial later. [07:05] Were you released that night, or did they keep you overnight? [07:38] At the same time of your shooting, two armed men with their shirts pulled up over their faces robbed 20-year-old Gregory Matthews Jr. and a friend, 19-year-old Stephon Tolin, on the street outside Matthews's home in Detroit, Michigan. Did you know these two people? [08:37] This happened a few miles from the Coney Island you were shot, is that true? [10:05] One of the witnesses said they heard a gunshot as the assailants were turning a corner, which was included in the police report. [10:30] Ten days later after you were shot, what happened? [11:23] Police pulled over Eric (and his friend who was driving) and told Eric he was under arrest; they believed he robbed Gregory and Stephon and shot himself in the foot. [11:44] Do you know how you became a suspect? [14:25] Two weeks after Eric's arrest, they transported him to Michigan State Police to take a polygraph test. [16:28] To this day, you've never seen your face on surveillance footage from that Coney Island. But your distinctive, Ed Hardy jeans, tight hair, and other identifying markers could tie you to the scene of your shooting. Is it clear that, when you walk in, that's you? Does the video show you getting shot in the foot? [18:30] When you got the polygraph, did you have an attorney yet? [18:56] For anyone watching… the second you are under arrest, stop talking and get an attorney, and let the attorney walk you through this process. [19:10] You took the polygraph… did they tell you right then and there that you failed it? What did they say to you? [19:43] In September 2010, Eric was offered a plea of probation. He declined because he didn't commit the crime. [20:40] Eric was confident that people upholding the system of justice would do the right thing, and he declined to hire an attorney to save money. [22:59] Two months later, Eric went to trial with a court-appointed attorney who improperly represented him, and didn't show the jury the surveillance footage, despite Eric's urging. He provided the jury video stills instead. [24:39] One of Eric's friends who was also implicated in the crime, yet not arrested, testified on Eric's behalf. [25:21] What was the prosecution's case? [26:44] The angle of Eric's bullet wound proved that he didn't shoot himself. His court-appointed attorney didn't recruit any expert medical witnesses to verify. [27:40] Who did the prosecution put on? These witnesses who said they saw you pistol whip and rob these guys? [29:47] Did your defense attorney cross-examine these witnesses? [30:45] The location of the robbery in respect to Sinai Grace seems to be what hurt you in trial. Where about did the robbery occur? How many miles is that from Sinai Grace? [32:11] How did they argue that you would have even known about that shooting while you were at Sinai Grace? How is that even possible? [33:17] Despite all of these defenses, you were convicted on November 5, 2010, of two counts of armed robbery, assault, and illegal use of a weapon. What did you think of that guilty verdict? [34:18] Did you ever think the truth would come out after that massive sentence? [34:32] Two years later, the Michigan Court of Appeals vacated your assault conviction, because it was multiple punishment for the same offense. But upheld the other charges and resentenced 12 to 20 years plus two years for weapons charges. That was basically a technicality issue. But you did something smart and, in 2018, got the Michigan Innocence Clinic involved. How did you do that? [36:40] The Michigan Innocence Clinic convinced the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office Conviction Integrity Unit, upon their own investigations, to vacate Eric's convictions. [37:46] Tell me about the person who admitted to the crime you were accused of committing. How did you find out who did it? [38:47] The actual perpetrator was serving prison time for a different time and offered to admit to the crime. But you didn't take him up on the offer. That's curious to me! [40:05] The perpetrator also sent Eric a signed affidavit saying he committed the robbery. [41:01] You're doing twelve years of prison time for a crime you didn't commit, and you have compassion for this guy to not add on to his sentence! It sounds like a smoking gun that could have gotten you out sooner. Did the Michigan Innocence Clinic use this information? [43:32] A breakdown of the hospital records demonstrated that Eric couldn't have committed the robbery. [44:12] How long after the Conviction Integrity Unit interview were you released? Can you tell me about that day? [47:53] Did anybody from the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office apologize to you? [49:17] Eric and the National Registry of Exonerees are pushing for greater awareness of the wrongful conviction crisis that has been plaguing the American criminal justice system. [50:53] You've been out for two-and-a-half years… how difficult has it been to reacclimate to society? [51:21] You did receive some compensation from the state of Michigan, correct? What about the federal government? [54:48] One of the reasons we do these shows is so that potential jurors will do the right thing, look at things with the right skepticism, and put the proper weight behind their decision. Because these wrongful convictions happen all the time and people need to hear about these stories. [55:29] Did the man who committed these crimes ever get convicted? Have you spoken with him? [56:23] Thank you for coming on the show. I'm sorry for what you went through and am grateful for your advocacy work to help change some of these laws. [58:10] Thank you for watching Open Mike with another wrongfully convicted person, right here in Michigan. Eric Anderson spent nine years in prison for a crime he absolutely could not have committed. Another heartbreaking story. Lots of thanks to Eric for sharing his story. Like, share, comment, subscribe, and give us feedback on what you'd like us to cover next. Until next time!

Exoneree Scott Hornoff on winning state support for the wrongly convicted

Rhode Island Report

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2021 18:27

One hundred and twenty-nine people were exonerated of crimes in the United States last year, meaning they were cleared of their guilt and set free after wrongful convictions. Scott Hornoff is one such exoneree. In 2003, he was released from prison after spending more than six years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit. Now, he's the advocate behind a new Rhode Island law that will provide money and support for people who have suffered the same fate. Hornoff sits down with Globe RI's Amanda Milkovits to discuss his own experience and what the state owes people like him.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Exoneree Amanda Knox

Doin it! with Danny and Jenny

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2021 57:25

00:00 BetOnline 4::35 Guest introduction 5:05 Eli Braden's Theme Song 08:00 How it started 11:50 Why she thinks she was arrested 14:00 Malcolm Gladwell 21:23 Piers Morgan 24:24 How much access did she have to the outside world? 29:11 Did she lose all hope? 33:30 Were there any physical altercations in prison? 38:50 Flight of the Conchords 41:52 Could she be extradited to Italy when her trial was appealed? 42:47 What is she doing now? 45:25 Obie Anthony 47:30 What are you watching? Listen to Amanda's podcast, Labrynths https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/labyrinths-getting-lost-with-amanda-knox/id1494368441 Follow us all on twitter: @amandaknox @jennyjohnsonhi5 @dannyzuker @theguydf @doinitpodcast

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Discussion of her film about exoneree-Jeffrey Deskovic Part 1

PURSUING JUSTICE

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2021 25:10

Award-winning documentary filmmaker. Directed "Conviction" on Amazon Prime.

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Interview with Jarret Adams: From Exoneree to Attorney

Unjustly

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2021 45:46

Meet the attorney who has defied the odds after experiencing his own wrongful conviction, and is now dedicating his life to helping other innocent people. Join us for a special interview with Jarret Adams, an exoneree turned attorney. Mr. Adams is the driving force behind the Not Guilty Serving Life campaign to free Terrance Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne, two men wrongfully convicted of murder. This is a follow up to episode 30 of our podcast, make sure to listen to it to learn more details about Richardson and Claiborne's case along with Adams' own wrongful conviction. You won't want to miss this motivational and impactful interview. To learn more visit: https://www.notguiltyservinglife.org https://www.lifeafterjustice.org http://jarrettadamslaw.com

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103 - How America's 1st Female Death Row Exoneree Overcame Racism, Misconduct, & a Drunk Defense Team

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2021 50:47

In April of 1989, teenage mother Sabrina Butler experienced every parent’s worst nightmare when her nine-month-old son Walter suddenly stopped breathing. Despite her intense resuscitation efforts, Walter was pronounced dead at the hospital. Sabrina was then subjected to interrogation by twelve police officers and three detectives — without an attorney present — only to be charged with capital murder and sentenced to death. After years of appeals and assembling a new, internationally renowned defense team, Sabrina was exonerated in 1995, becoming America’s first female death row survivor. Sabrina now serves on the board of Witness to Innocence, empowering other death row survivors to raise their voices and eradicate the practice of capital punishment, once and for all. Why was a perfect storm of poverty, overt racism, oppression allowed to yield the death sentence of a minor? How do we compel our leaders and citizens to contend with the realities of a fatally flawed criminal justice system? Watch this stirring episode of Open Mike to find out. Show Notes [00:01] Background of Sabrina Butler Smith’s case and her horrific experience in the legal system. [02:21] Welcome to the show, Sabrina. Your story is chilling, and I’m honored you’re here. Let’s jump in. This started with the tragic death of your son Walter and turned into a greater tragedy when you were charged with his murder as a teen. Tell us what happened! [06:26] Sabrina, was your son healthy up until this point? And he had his regular shots and pediatrician up until this moment? He never had any broken bones or was treated for any injuries? [07:22] You’re at the hospital, and there are doctors and nurses working on Walter… and you’re panicking because you think you’re in trouble for having left him alone and returned to him in this state… and then what happened? [07:51] What were the lies you were telling? [08:48] Doctors and nurses were asking Sabrina many situationally related questions while she was holding the body of her child, i.e. in a state of extreme distress where she was not in the right mind to provide accurate responses. She was then taken to the police station where asked questions, only to be released. The next day, Sabrina returned to the hospital where she was once again taken to the police station where she was aggressively interrogated/intimidated for four hours. [11:11] So, when you were being interrogated at the police station, did you know your baby had already passed or were you still waiting to hear about his condition? [11:53] The police read Sabrina, a minor, her Miranda Rights but didn’t understand implications of its language, including misinterpreting her right to remain silent as, “don’t speak until spoken to.” [12:38] Eventually, you signed a confession… explain how that happened. What did you confess to? [13:24] Sabrina didn’t learn of Walter’s cause of death until her second trial. She wasn’t allowed to plan or participate in a funeral and didn’t even learn of his burial place until two years after her release. [14:10] Can you tell us about how you got your first attorneys? [14:35] Sabrina didn’t meet her trial attorneys until two days prior to the first court date. In 1989, court appointed attorneys were receiving a mere $1,000 per capital case. There was no jury of her peers, no witnesses were called, and she believes her attorney was drunk. [16:54] Do you remember how many days this trial was? You say you knew deep in your heart you were getting railroaded in this trial… [18:28] What did the jury look like, were they all-white? [18:53] The woman who had helped you administer CPR the night Walter passed was in the court room, and your drunk defense attorney didn’t have the thought to put her on the stand… how does that happen? You must have wanted to scream at the court room. [20:06] The jury came back, you’re sitting in the court room, and they find you guilty of capital murder. What’s going through your head? [21:23] Did your defense attorneys ever participate in a hearing where they advocated for you not being out to death? What was life like in prison, on death row? [23:10] Much of what Sabrina learned about legal proceedings was from her cellmate, not her lawyers. Her legal team kept her in the dark. [23:30] Thank God for that woman being with you… can you tell us about the appeal process? [24:17] It looks like, two years later, your new lawyer Clive Stafford Smith and his team convinced the state supreme court that the state prosecution improperly commented at trial on your decision not to testify — which is unconstitutional. That’s something you learn on day one of law school. Do you remember what the prosecutor said about that at trial? [25:12] You get granted a new trial and are now sitting on death row for three years? Did any of your attorneys try to get you out on bond? [25:58] Before we get to the second trial, tell me about your family, your first child, what the dynamics of support are like for you during this time. [26:45] Sabrina’s mother became her biggest advocate, appearing in the news, even becoming homeless in her quest to let everyone know what the state of Mississippi was doing to her daughter. [27:02] Let’s talk about the second trial… were you more optimistic for this second trial with your new defense team? [27:46] Did either of your first two defense attorneys get disciplined, as far as you know? [28:27] How was the second trial different from the first one? [28:50] Clive discovered Walter’s death was caused by nephrotic syndrome, which Sabrina’s daughter also has. Walter also had heart problems and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which caused peritonitis, inability to defecate, and ultimately led to his death by robbing him of oxygen. An autopsy had previously been conducted by the state but was completely inadequate and inept. [31:07] Were there any witnesses called at your second trial? [31:42] Sabrina didn’t need to take the stand in the second trial because her new legal team had provided such an immense quantity of evidence. [31:58] Was the jury makeup any better during this second trial? [32:17] It took just one hour for the jury to deliver her innocence verdict. [32:44] You did have an expert witness on the second trial? [34:32] It sounds like these are night-and-day trials… were you more confident going into this second trial? [35:28] We’ve done several wrongfully convicted episodes and, Sabrina, your story goes to show how important it is to have good lawyering. They should be teaching your story in law school! This is 101. And the communication you’re talking about goes to show how important it is. [36:16] You’re acquitted, I can imagine you’re elated to get out of prison after six-and-a-half years. What did those first steps outside feel like? [38:11] The state granted you $300,000… how did you feel about that? [38:30] How hard was it reacclimating to society after this ordeal? [39:45] Tell the viewers and listeners… how is your life now? [40:09] You mentioned you’re doing speaking and making appearances on podcasts like this… and you also have a website you’re involved with. Can you tell us about that? [41:45] Sabrina is also working on a tell-all book called Exonerated: The Sabrina Butler Story that’s currently in its completion stages. [42:34] You’re actually talking to state legislators and working on death penalty reform. Can you tell us about that? [43:12] You’re also on the board of Witness to Innocence, which empowers death row survivors to help overturn the death penalty in the United States… [44:26] We’ve done some episodes on Shaken Baby Syndrome (Abusive Head Trauma) cases… your case kind of falls under that category, do you agree? [45:56] Sabrina is the first woman in the United States to be exonerated from death row. [46:10] Editor’s note: Julie Baumer’s nephew did not die from his medical condition and is still alive to this day. [46:56] Sabrina is also attempting to start a halfway house for female exonerees and ex-offenders in Memphis, Tennessee because, while there are plenty of programs for men, there are few available for females. [49:03] The last question I have for you is… what is your message for people sitting behind bars who know they are innocent? How do you inspire hope in them? [49:48] I think those are perfect words to end on. Sabrina Butler Smith, thank you for so much for being on Open Mike and sharing your story with us. [50:17] That was emotional, another crazy exoneree story from a really beautiful woman, Sabrina Butler Smith. Thank you for watching and listening. Send this to someone who needs to hear it. Donate to Witness to Innocence and her website. Thank you for being here for Open Mike.

165: Sweet Home Alabama: Anthony Ray Hinton

Corpus Delicti

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2021 42:49

Two managers of fast food restaurants are shot and killed in the Birmingham area. An eye witness identifies Anthony Ray Hinton from a photo lineup. Then, they find a revolver in his home. Hinton is convicted. But there's several problems with the case...To access earlier episodes of Corpus Delicti and to help support the show, please visit patreon.com/corpusdelictiOur merch store can be found at teepublic.com/stores/corpus-delicti-podcastMusic by:Kai Engel"Daemones"Blooper music by:Art of Escapism"Coal Miners"This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.Sources:Anthony Ray Hinton (eji.org)Page gone - MSNAnthony Ray Hinton (witnesstoinnocence.org)Anthony Ray Hinton, Alabama Man Who Spent 30 Years on Death Row, Has Case Dismissed (nbcnews.com)Alabama man off death row after 28 years to jailers: You will answer to God | Capital punishment | The GuardianI spent 28 years on death row | Capital punishment | The Guardian

100 - Landmark 100th Episode Featuring an Exoneree Reunion & Bombshell Announcement from Mike

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Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2021 77:24

Open Mike has made it to triple-digits! On our landmark, 100th installment, Mike reunites with three former guest exonerees, Aaron Salter, Julie Baumer, and Kenny Wyniemko, as well as two journalists who have been blazing a path to illuminate the wrongful conviction crisis, Kevin Dietz and Bill Proctor. In this groundbreaking centenary episode, our guests reflect on their detestable experiences in the criminal justice system, update us on their current initiatives and whereabouts, and offer us their opinions on the future of the justice reform movement amidst a still-divided political climate. Plus… Mike provides a development on his own plans to dive headfirst into the arena of justice reform. Show Notes [00:01] Mike Morse: Well first, let me start out by saying thank you for everyone being here. It's a trip down memory lane. Seeing all your faces, Julie and Aaron and Kenny and Bill and Kevin Dietz, celebrating our 100th episode… I didn't think we would get here. When I started the podcast, it was just kind of out of fun. And I wanted to learn, and I wanted to do something because podcasts were all the rage. I never thought we’d get to 100 podcasts. The fact that you guys are here to help me celebrate 100 is very meaningful to me. The fact that my producers just told me that we're over 3 million downloads and listens. That's rare. When I started this podcast, we didn't know which direction fully it was going to go. And when I first met Aaron Salter, Episode 32, and Aaron told me his story, I remember the emotions, I remember the sadness, I remember the shock. Being a lawyer, 28 years handling only civil cases… that this was happening in our justice system was outrageous to me. And then meeting Kenny and Julie and several others, it really did affect me, it really did change me. And at the end of this podcast, I'm going to make an announcement, I'm going to tell you guys something that I haven't told many people. All of your sharing, and courage, and love that you've shown me… and the fact that we are now friends, we talk, we have lunch, we text each other, we help each other — it’s changed my life for the better. And it's meaningful to me, and the fact that it's only been a year and a half that I didn't think this was coming. And then I'm still growing up as an attorney and learning things about the law, which I admit I think is pretty cool. So, I thank Kevin Dietz for introducing me to this stuff, because I was probably your idea to have Aaron on, and introducing me to these amazing people has changed my life. And to be quite honest, it’s changed my family's life. I have three daughters, two of them are in college, and they are watching our episodes. They were both social work, social work, education majors, and now they're talking to me about social justice classes. They're talking to me about law school. And I think it's because of the three of you, and Bill, and others. I wasn't even planning on talking about that, but that's true. I mean, I was sitting with my freshmen last night looking at her classes, and she was looking at social justice and criminal reform and classes like that. It's hard to turn away, it's hard to not want to learn more and hear more. [02:56] MM: So, saying all that, I'm going to start with Aaron Salter. And Aaron, your story is amazing, heartbreaking. Scary that it could happen to such a nice young man who was, you know, won a partial college scholarship on his way to Arkansas. And the fact that this happened to you, I'd like you to tell our listeners and viewers who maybe didn't see Episode 32 a little bit about what happened you starting in 2003? [05:01] In 2003, Aaron was with his cousin when a drug deal went awry, and his cousin was shot twelve times — and survived. The person who shot Aaron’s cousin shot another person three days later, and Aaron was misidentified as the perpetrator. [05:21] MM: Where were you when you were arrested? You were at a family member's house? [07:21] Aaron Salter: From the very beginning, a female named Joanne Thomas, the deceased’s sister, actually stood up in court and said she knew I didn’t kill her brother, that the person who killed him was a guy named E. Everybody should have been stepping up to be like, “Well, okay, I knew there are holes in this case, I know that testimony is powerful.” There is no way that I should have still gone to prison. Like that should have been a wake-up call for somebody, somewhere to be like, Okay, well, maybe we rushed this. But they didn't do it. [08:26] Kevin Dietz: And then you end up in prison. Did you realize at some point, “Wow, innocent people end up in prison, this happens in real life?” [9:03] KD: What was the key to getting out, what was the turning point? [9:06] AS: Man, the turning point was when my when my federal defender team actually submitted an application to the conviction integrity unit. And when they did that, I was out within like 30 to 60 days. [09:26] MM: Refresh our memories —what was the smoking gun that that the conviction integrity unit, hung their hat on to finally allow you out? [10:35] MM: Prosecution withheld your mugshot from defense until the conviction integrity unit was just able to access it from the evidence room. Why didn’t they want you to have thar? [10:39] AS: Because for one my whole claim was suggestive identification. [10:55] MM: Didn't your height and weight not add up to a witness? Weren't there witness identifications that were skinnier and shorter? [11:50] MM: You were also in prison with the man who actually committed the crime, is that true? [12:53] AS: Absolutely. I was in a prison with him. He wrote a letter to my attorney saying that he’ll be able to help me if I can assign some type of contract to compensate him for a statement. But my attorney ruled his stuff out — you’re basically putting your testimony for hire man, so that's not even credible. We couldn't even use him if we wanted to… but he reached out to my attorney and everything organically. [14:44] MM: One of the biggest things I've learned over the last year and a half is that if you're paroled in Michigan, for a crime you committed, you have all these wonderful benefits. You get money, you get housing, job help, medical…. But if you're exonerated for a crime you didn't commit, you get nothing. You saw a void in this system, and you bought you use your hard-earned money that you got after your lawsuit. And you bought a house so you could put people up. Tell us a little bit about that. [16:09] MM: A lot of us are wearing or have these pins that I'm showing to the camera: Innocence Maintained: Better not Bitter. Can you tell our listeners and viewers what this is? [16:49] MM: Tell us about this app you’ve created for exonerees — how is it going to help people who are wrongfully convicted? [17:43] The app will be revealed on August 15th at an Exoneree Awards ceremony taking place at the Detroit Yacht Club. [18:17] MM: That’s awesome! Save us a table — we’re coming. We're going to turn to Julie Baumer who's sitting to your right. Julie Baumer, Episode 77 on the Open Mike Show. Julie has another really heartbreaking story. She was arrested for doing the right thing, seeking medical help for her for her sick baby nephew. She was convicted with no evidence of any abuse. Just two doctors testifying about Shaken Baby Syndrome, which we now know is junk science. It's such junk science that they’ve changed the name to Abusive Head Trauma. You had a terrible defense attorney, not presenting any evidence in your first trial to help you. And you had the first case at the Michigan Innocence Clinic in Ann Arbor took that did not involve DNA evidence. So, you are kind of a famous person up there. But tell us a little bit about your story. And for the people who have not heard or seen it. [19:43] Julie Baumer: Basically, my younger sister ended up getting pregnant, it was an unplanned pregnancy. With the support of my family, I chose to do an in-family adoption. After Philip was born, he was hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit for about a week. So, we knew that there was going to be some form of complications. We didn't know the extent of it. When he was five weeks old, he basically had a medical breakdown, if you will, because he completely stopped eating. And he just became very lethargic. So of course, I called his pediatrician and, and by direction of his pediatrician, I took him into the ER in Macomb County. The county transferred him down to Children's Hospital where, 24 hours later, he was undergoing brain surgery to relieve pressure in his brain. His brain had swollen. 24 hours after that, I was invited into the sheriff's department to interview. At that point I was I realized that I was a suspect for child abuse. And so immediately, my family and I started our defensive. Initially we went back to the birth, which was traumatic, during which my sister had been given two doses of Pitocin. So, we thought there were some definite issues during the birth. However, several months later, I was formally charged with child abuse first degree. And 18 months later, I was convicted and sentenced to 15 years. [22:06] MM: You actually had two trials… what happened after your first conviction? [22:10] JB: I immediately began the appeal process. After I exhausted all of my appeals by the grace of God, ironically, that same year in 2009, U of M, opened up the non-DNA Innocence Clinic and I was able to get my case heard. I was granted a second trial, where I had several doctors who testified on my behalf that weren't available during my first trial. They clearly stated that there was no crime committed at all. Unfortunately, my nephew had suffered a form of childhood stroke, venous sinus thrombosis. And I was exonerated completely. [23:36] MM: How long were you in prison? [23:45] MM: Thank God you had good attorneys for after the second trial. You’ve been out ten years — can you give us an update on your life? What are you doing these days? [24:09] JB: I've nestled myself into a nice little community where I work as a realtor. And to fill some void and give my part back, I indulged in several service clubs, and do a lot of volunteer work. [24:38] MM: Well, thank you for sharing your story again with us today. All the details, Julie Baumer, Episode 77, on the Open Mike Show. And last but not least, Kenny Wyniemko one of the craziest stories I think anybody could ever hear. We did two episodes on Kenny, 45 and 50. As I'm interviewing more people, getting myself into this world, your story almost checks all the boxes of what could go wrong in one of these types of cases. Starting with, dirty cops, a jailhouse snitch, a corrupt prosecutor, a bad judge. On and on — and that's probably why Netflix did a whole show on you. That's probably why you have this fabulous book that your friend Bob wrote about you, Deliberate Injustice. Kenny, I think about your story all the time, as I do with all the stories. You're also you're wearing your Innocence Project shirt, which will tell us about… For the viewers who have not seen our four plus hours on you, why don't you give us a couple minutes on what happened to you? [26:31] Kenny Wyniemko: Well, first of all, Mike, thank you for the kind words. It's always a pleasure being with you and my fellow exonerees. What happened to me unfortunately, I was arrested in 1994, and charged 10 weeks after this rape happened. And at the time that rape happened, it was a big story in the Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, Macomb Daily, our local paper. And I remember reading about the rape and thinking to myself that, no one should have to go through that. No way. July 14th, 10 weeks later, I was arrested and charged with 15 counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct, one count of Breaking and Entering, and one count of Armed Robbery… [34:41] MM: It’s a good story, and it leads into why you think you were behind bars for so many years. What was your next encounter with the Clinton Township police? [35:19] On July 14th, 1994, Kenny was awoken by a woman in a business suit asking if he was Kenny Wyniemko. When he responded affirmatively, she moved aside, and four police officers rushed into his living room, pinned him down, handcuffed him, and took him to the Macomb County police department to be identified in a lineup. He had no idea what they were talking about, requested to call an attorney, and was denied. Kenny was put in a lineup, but ultimately released from the station. When he returned home to shower, a plain clothes police officer refused to let Kenny in until the police had a search warrant, pulling a gun on Kenny and pointing it at his head. Kenny went to his parents to shower and, upon his return, found that his house had been ransacked by the police and unnecessarily vandalized. The next day, he returned home after going to the grocery store to replace broken items and was met by eight police — some with sawed-off shotguns — who stated he had been identified in the previous day’s lineup and was under arrest. [42:48] MM: As you’re talking, I'm now remembering why we spent so many hours with you — because you're a damn good storyteller. For those of you who are interested, Episodes 45 and 50 have so many twists and turns. For those of you who want to hear more, be sure to check out those episodes. Now, I want to turn to now is your work with Innocence Project. [43:58] KW: Well, this project is responsible for my release! I was still locked up in prison and I happened to see Barry Scheck on Phil Donahue Show talking about how he's working with DNA that would prove someone's guilt or innocence. So, I wrote to him with a packet of the facts surrounding my case, asking for help. About five months later, he wrote back saying that the information sounded serious. However, he had a backlog of about 4,000 cases… that was the bad news. The good news was they were going to open up a private Innocence Project at Cooley Law School in Lansing. I was their first case and they got me out. [45:20] MM: You told me before we started filming today that you were the second person in Michigan and the 129th person in the country to be granted a DNA release? [45:34] KW: In Michigan, we're up to 130, but nationwide, as of last Friday, we’re up to 2,755. It’s still just the tip of the iceberg, and that’s why I’m proud to be part of Proving Innocence with Bill Proctor. There’s no more worthy cause in the world. [46:05] MM: We're hearing about people getting out every week, which is an amazing, amazing thing. I want to turn to Bill Proctor now, who was kind enough to come on Open Mike Episode 51. Bill works tirelessly for wrongfully convicted people. He's a member of the Michigan Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and the founder of Proving Innocence. Today he runs Seeking Justice, currently on the trail of Who Killed Shannon Siders, which is an amazing website… Bill, thank you for coming to the show today. Tell me how you got involved fighting for the wrongfully convicted. [47:00] Bill Proctor: I was lucky enough to have an almost 40-year career in television and was a reporter, anchor. But had a private investigator in 1994 bring me a case out of Port Huron. This was a strange situation where a college student was murdered in broad daylight on a community college in 1986. Well, lots of twists and turns brought the police to a fella named Frederick Thomas Freeman. And Mr. Freeman had the misfortune of dating, for maybe two weeks, the girlfriend/fiancé of the murder victim. While the police looked at his general level of misconduct, that never indicated something so serious as to felony level. He wrote a couple of bad checks, drove a motorcycle without a license, those kinds of silly things. But he was just kind of an arrogant tough guy who thought he was God's gift to women. Bottom line is they put together a case that to this day is the most ridiculous presentation you've ever seen in your life that essentially convicted an innocent man. That was in 1986, for the trial. I took on the case 1994- 95 and was among the first reporters in the state of Michigan to essentially step out in a big way to present an actual innocence claim. The claim was extremely strong with a jailhouse snitch who got rewarded to make statements about what he heard in a jail cell that Freeman allegedly said girls who claimed that he was some sort of ninja master who could levitate himself from one another room to another that kind of thing, throwing stars all this kind of stuff. And the real bottom line was, this was a shot gun murder in broad daylight on the college campus. Freeman, with all of his martial arts prowess, could have snapped this neck quietly and walked away with no problem. That didn't happen. This, we strongly believe today, had to do with drugs, mayoral connection to drug dealers, corruption, and bad actors. What I learned from that case, from a private investigator, is that there are so many elements of a trial that can misrepresent the truth… [50:36] MM: And this person is still sitting in prison today, right? [51:10] BP: The list that you've heard from your guests, the list of the tens of thousands of cases that have been examined by a number of innocence projects around the country, have come down to a very comprehensive, constant evaluation of the problem of wrongful conviction in America. Six, seven, maybe eight specific reasons for all of them…. The list is long. It's difficult, Michael, and yes, the entire country needs to know that this is more than a notion more than a TV show. More than a television series. These are people whose lives and the lives of their families are ruined by bad work in the criminal justice system. [54:03] MM: And from all accounts. Bill, you are helping so many people you're working as a private investigator trying to get people out. I know what good work you do. I've seen it. The new the new case that you're working on is very compelling. Do you want to tell a little bit about that and direct people to that website so they can so we can let the world know what's happening? [58:03] KW: Bill was talking about eyewitness misidentification being a leading cause. It is the leading cause of wrongful convictions. And if you look at the facts, amongst the exonerees, all of us are throughout the country, the eyewitness identification has been proven wrong 78% of the time. 78%. That's scary numbers. [58:56] Mike, Aaron, Julie, Kenny, spend time comparing multiple identical factors that contributed to their wrongful convictions: poor defense attorneys, aggressive prosecuting attorneys, tunnel vision, eyewitness errors, bad forensic science, perjury, and official misconduct. [1:01:18] MM: We’ve done six or seven wrongful exonerees interviews. And the thing that amazes me is the perception of how bitter you all should be. But you have found the spirit to work hard and help others who are left behind in these exact situations. You've started nonprofits, you've been vocal about injustice, you lecture, you help pass laws. So, I want you to all tell me why? Why do you feel the way do you do? How do you keep a positive attitude? And why are you trying to help others? [1:04:54] MM: A key to the future in this fight for justice is awareness, education, breaking down the stigma associated with being an exoneree. Tell me about how your family, friends, and even strangers treated you after you got released from prison. [1:08:04] MM: Bill, I want to ask you — how do we keep the pressure up on those in the justice system to prioritize freeing innocent people over putting people away? [1:08:23] BP: At this stage in the country, we have a serious problem. Because at one point, you might be able to get everyone elected to a legislature to sit around a table, listen to suggestions, and walk down a road of some reasonable compromise. I'm sorry, Mike, I don't think it's going to happen now. I think the lunatic in the White House for four years, his year before, and his continued effect on this population means that not enough people of reason, open mind, and open hearts will sit at a table and make changes in laws. I just need to remind everybody that what happens in the criminal justice system is essentially a wonderfully written set of laws and rules and processes and procedures. But we forget that people administer those laws. People have human failures. People do things that they're not supposed to do under law, or even in ethical or moral practice. I really don't know where we start, Mike. But everybody should know that. Yes. Not only do wrongful convictions happen, but they can be prevented. And yes, if somebody is telling you and insisting from the very beginning at trial or charges that they didn't do it, every single friend that's possible needs to step up and listen and try to help before the conviction takes place. [1:09:50] MM: You would think that all of the news that's being made about wrongful convictions, and the integrity units, and podcasts like this with 3 million eyeballs on them… that people will start getting the message…. My hope is that if there are people out there who have said things to police that aren't true, that they will come forward and say, “You know what, I might have made a mistake.” And I know that takes courage. And I encourage people to gather that courage because you have beautiful souls who are sitting in prison for crimes they didn't commit. Thousands of people around this country that need the truth to be told. And I want to thank you all again, for being here. I want to thank you for sharing your stories, because I know it's not easy. And I want to tell the three of you that after hearing your stories, and learning from Bill, and watching the movies and reading your books, that the Mike Morse Law Firm has decided to put — lack of a better word — our money where our mouth is, our energy where our mouth is. And we have taken on a case of a man that, I believe, did not get a fair trial on a Shaken Baby Syndrome case. A man who's sitting in prison for life and did not get a fair trial. He had a terrible defense attorney, there was not one expert witness called against eight expert witnesses by the state. And I am working hard with a team of lawyers here at the Mike Morse Law Firm to get this man a new trial. This is probably one of the hardest things that my firm has ever done. I am doing it because of you three. You have encouraged me. Throughout it, Bill, you have helped me, and we've had several conversations about taking cases like this. And because this man did not have the quality attorney that he should have, we are going to fight as hard as we know how to get this man a new trial. We will share more details in the coming months. We are in the midst of it right now, getting the evidence, talking to experts, putting together a brief… I'm nervous about it. You get one shot at a 6500 motion, as you guys all know. And I'm hopeful. I'm hopeful. And I just wanted you guys to hear it first. [1:13:07] KW: Mike, God bless you. I wish that there were more attorneys like you that take the time to help when you see something wrong. You try to right it. I think that's what all of us do. And the bottom line is — all anybody ever wants when it comes to the justice system is the truth. So, I take my hat off to you. I commend you. May God bless you. [1:13:28] AS: Mike. I just want to say one thing, man. I really respect you for doing that. Because when I was in prison, the only thing I wanted was for somebody to pick up my case and help me. So that's real commendable, man. And it's a lot of work, but I know you can do it. [1:13:50] MM: You know what, Aaron, it wouldn't happen had you not come on my show. Or had you guys not introduced me to Dave Moran up at the Innocence Clinic. So, lots of things happen and wouldn't happen if Kevin Dietz, my good friend, didn't suggest we do these episodes on Open Mike. You know, I feel emotional about it. I'm excited about it. I'm nervous about it. I can't believe that we've done 100 episodes! We have gifts for you all that we're going to give you as well. And thanks again for being here.

Martin Tankleff – Episode 41

The Greg Kelly Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2021 82:17

Martin Tankleff was wrongfully convicted in 1990 of murdering his parents. 17 years later, he was exonerated and released from prison. While inside, Tankleff used his time to be productive. He studied and earned his law degree. Now, he helps free those imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. While inside, Tankleff met Tupac Shakur, and learned that prison guards feel more secure with prisoners protecting them than they do their own security force. All of these have led to a keen understanding of the Criminal Justice System that has shot Tankleff to the top of the list of exoneration law experts. Tankleff is also a professor at Touro College. He also teaches the popular course "Making an Exoneree" at Georgetown Law in Washington, D.C. The course has inspired an upcoming documentary project.Follow Greg Kelly on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregkellyusaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregkellyusa/ Find out more information at:https://gregkellypodcast.com/Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Exoneree Says Compassion Is Key For Those Leaving Prison

Steady Habits: A CT Mirror Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2021 21:38

If you talk with Scott Lewis, you hear a lot of things that sound like this: “When you go through a lot of challenges in life, you learn how to make the best out of the days that you’re given to live life.” And Lewis has been through some challenges. At the age of 29, he was sentenced to 120 years in prison for a high-profile murder in New Haven that he didn’t commit. An FBI investigation found that Lewis and a co-defendant had been set up by a police officer who was involved in selling cocaine. Despite this, it took Lewis years of legal research while behind bars, and help from teams of law students to help him gain his release in 2014. His story is the subject of a documentary, 120 Years. But he lost 19 years of his life, years with his family he says he can’t get back, and can’t get “too emotional” about. In 2017, he settled a lawsuit with the city of New Haven for $9.5 million. He’s now 55, and running his own real estate firm - the profession he’d been pursuing before his arrest. He wrote recently for the CT Mirror’s Viewpoints section about his support for a bill that would, in his words, provide “second chances by reducing barriers to professional licensing for people with convictions.” Lewis knows about the barriers people leaving prison face, and he says that while some of those barriers are necessary, they need to be coupled with compassion for those starting to seek a new life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

leaving compassion fbi prison new haven viewpoints scott lewis exoneree

Exoneree 9: Anthony Porter & Alstory Simon

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2021 35:14

Shortly after 1 AM, Officer Anthony Liance of the Chicago police department, responded to an urgent call that a man had been shot in Washington State Park...

chicago exoneree

Exoneree 8: Major Fred Galvin

afghanistan iraqi exoneree major fred galvin

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2021 36:23

This is the setting for our case today: the height of the Iraqi war, a hardened war yet caring war veteran in Major Galvin leading his platoon of commandos in Afghanistan, and an ambush.

86 - Jeffrey Deskovic: From Murder, Rape Conviction to Exoneree to Lawyer Who Frees the Innocent

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2021 48:06

At age seventeen, Jeffrey Deskovic was wrongfully sentenced to life in prison for the rape and murder of a classmate. Authorities knew his DNA did not match that of the actual perpetrator – who would later murder another young woman and mother of two. Nevertheless, they colluded to convict and keep Jeff behind bars for the next 16 years. After his exoneration and release, Jeff successfully sued the responsible parties, and used a substantial portion of the compensation to start The Deskovic Foundation — a non-profit that overturns wrongful convictions and challenges the policies that enable them. Check out this riveting episode of Open Mike to learn more about Jeff’s post-prison life as a lawyer, the Amazon Prime documentary about his case, and how this traumatizing ordeal helped him find his true vocation. Show Notes [00:13] Jeffrey’s bio and background [01:10] Jeff, you were a sixteen-year-old high school student and you were arrested for rape and murder — can you tell us what that was like? [01:36] What kind of kid were you? [02:14] Why do you think the police targeted you? [02:32] Jeff didn’t necessarily fit in at school, so some students referred police to him. When Jeff was emotional over the untimely murder of a classmate, the police misinterpreted that as a sign of guilt. A psychological profile conducted by the NYPD also draw similarities between Jeff’s personal attributes and that of a potential perpetrator. [03:49] The way you describe those three things… that could have been anybody! There’s no way you could have committed this crime, but I’m reading about a confession you gave while in custody. Tell us about that. [06:42] After a polygraph and interrogating a terrified Jeff for 6.5-7 hours, police eventually broke Jeff into making a false confession. [06:51] Did they say you failed the polygraph? [07:55] After the fact, did you get readouts of this test that showed you came up clean? [08:18] So you were arrested after you gave this nonsensical confession? [08:38] You’re an intelligent guy, you went to law school, you’re now helping others in similar positions. Looking back on that confession, can you shed some light on how easy it is to be coerced into giving a false conviction? [09:55] Was this all on video tape? [10:15] Are there now laws in most states that confessions must be videotaped? [10:32] For the sake of time, you had a public defender, were tried by a jury, and convicted… how bad was your public defender? [12:40] There was some misconduct by a medical examiner, can you give us some details on that? [13:07] Six months after an initial examination, the medical examiner claimed to have remembered he found evidence the deceased victim was “promiscuous” in an attempt to help the prosecutor explain why DNA found at the scene didn’t match Jeff’s. [13:40] Was there prosecutorial misconduct other than that? [14:24] You had a pretty famous prosecutor, yes? [15:37] How long was the jury trial? You’re incarcerated the whole time? [16:04] Did you recant the confession right away and tell your family and lawyer? [16:59] So, you’re tried as an adult, convicted at sixteen-years-old, and sentenced for seventeen to twenty-five years? [17:28] You’re seventeen, you go to prison, are in solitary confinement for twenty-eight days at one point… how horrible was that? Was that the worst part of the experience? [18:32] Being in prison at seventeen years old… and with staff passing around pamphlets to let everyone know you’re this horrible sex offender… that had to have been the scariest thing in the whole world! [19:21] How did you get Barry Scheck and The Innocence Project to take a look at your case? [20:06] Tell us about the DNA. It’s a little bit confusing… Your DNA wasn’t on the scene… what was the new evidence that was presented? [21:15] After technological advancements in DNA testing that allowed for more specificity, it became apparent the DNA belonged to Stephen Cunningham, who had also killed and raped another person. He eventually admitted to the crime Jeff had been accused of. [21:51] In the Amazon Prime Documentary, Conviction, you talk at length about getting that news. What was that experience like? [24:54] The feeling of being released — how do you describe that? [25:28] How was your family? Did they coalesce and reengage with you after all this? [26:58] Jeff had infrequent visitors throughout his prison time, other than his mother who would visit every six months. He was putting ads in the local Sacramento newspaper for pen pals because he was so lonely and bored. He did find a pen pal who provided him moral support and kept him from going over the edge of loneliness. [27:51] It sounds like your family basically abandoned you… but you get out of prison, your wrongful conviction case gets a financial settlement, and then you decide to go to law school? [28:25] It took five years to obtain his settlement, during which Jeff struggled to find employment, housing, building social situations… but he was doing advocacy work in the meantime, and obtained scholarships to help him finish his education. Once he got his settlement, he used the funds to start the Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice to help others who are wrongfully convicted and pursue policy changes. As of October 26, 2020, Jeff was officially admitted to the Bar. [30:02] How did you like law school? [32:15] You started this amazing foundation, the Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice and have so far freed nine different people who were wrongfully convicted for different reasons, which is AMAZING. You’re using your settlement money to help others… I’m blown away by you. Thank you for what you’re doing for these people, selflessly. What is it about you that is compelling you to do this? [35:17] Jeff is able to remain free of angry and bitterness because he’s already lost so much of his life and doesn’t see any point in not enjoying what he has left. [35:44] It’s truly amazing. And you’re not only helping nine or ten clients, you’re pushing for policy change. What kind of traction have you gotten there? [36:01] Advocacy efforts helped pass a New York state law making video recording mandatory during interrogations, as well as ID reform and DNA database expansion. [38:15] What kind of team do you have working with you and so many initiatives? [40:46] It’s unbelievable. When people hear these stories, one thing they always ask about is immunity. Where are we in this country in holding bad judges, prosecutors, and cops accountable for their dirty tactics in wrongfully convicting people. Is there any movement forward? [44:01] How is your life these days? How is Jeffrey Deskovic doing now? [45:16] You mentioned chess… did you like The Queen’s Gambit? [45:39] What is the Queen’s Gambit, do you use it in your move? [46:12] Jeff normally opens with the French Defence, rather than the Queen’s Gambit. [46:27] Thank you for all the work you do and thank you for appearing on Open Mike. I hope everyone watching spreads word of your advocacy, and donates to your cause. Congratulations on becoming a lawyer, I know you’ll do amazing things. [47:19] Share this episode, check out the documentary Conviction on Amazon Prime, donate some money if you can. Thank you for watching and supporting Open Mike!

Exoneree 7: Rubin Carter - Part 2

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2020 35:47

To study the original case records of the Lafayette Bar shooting is to travel a winding path of perplexing questions and tiny bits of facts that have been construed into myth with evidence that was never challenged contributing to the mystery. One thing is for certain, however, the shooting at the bar and grill had been very, very quick...

exoneree rubin carter lafayette bar

Exoneree 6: Rubin Carter - Part 1

new jersey exoneree rubin carter

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2020 32:34

After his release in 1961 from prison, 24-year-old Rubin Carter worked to turn his life around pursuing a career as a professional boxer leading to a short yet successful career before it was tragically cut short when on June 17th, 1966 he became involved in an infamous shooting at a bar in New Jersey resulting in the death of a bartender and two customers.

Exoneree 5: The Central Park 5

central park centralpark5 exoneree

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2020 34:31

A case without a motive, no care for hiding the body, no regard for the public attention, an attack right in the heart of the city; the blueprint of a serial killer, except for one crucial mistake, the victim lived, and survived to tell the tale...

Exoneree 4: The Roscetti Four

rush medical college exoneree

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2020 34:42

To this day, Rush Medical College can proudly claim over 10,000 physicians. It was to this bright future and promising college education in which tragically, Lori Roscetti's life, filled with promise, ambition, and self-achievement would be tragically cut short in a horrible saga leading to the arrest of the Roscetti four.

Exoneree 3: Demetrius Adams

adams ida b wells exoneree

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2020 33:35

Despite the simplicity of the crimes and the apparent disposition residents of the Ida B Wells complex were subjected to, things were even more ominous than anyone could have imagined....

Exoneree 2: Warith Abdal

police mike mccarthy police commissioners abdal exoneree buffalo city

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 35:57

In 1982, Buffalo City experienced a heinous rape in its beloved nature reserve. Police force desperately tried to catch the rapist by posing as hikers, with a police officer, who was a karate expert, posed as a woman but with fruitless attempts at catching the rapist red-handed, a frustrated Police Commissioner assigned Mike McCarthy, a tough nosed officer from the Street Crime unit to find the dubbed Tift Farm rapist.

Exoneree 1: Andrew Swainson

Choppin' It Up With Jimmie C. -- Life After Wrongful Conviction

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2020 34:29

The crack cocaine epidemic hit record high proportions from 1989 to 1991 where nearly 500 dealers were indicted by the federal, state, and local authorities and on January 17th, 1988 a 22-year-old was caught in a tragic accident during the escalation of this drug epidemic...

exoneree

State v. John Brookins – Addendum 1 – Making An Exoneree

Undisclosed

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2020 47:25

September 24, 2020 / Host Rebecca Lavoie talks with Colin Miller, Marc Howard, and Marty Tankleff about the work by Georgetown's Prisons and Justice Initiative on the John Brookins case. Episode scoring music by Animal Weapon and Blue Dot Sessions. #undisclosed #freejohnbrookins Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/undisclosedpod See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Georgia Exoneree Calvin Johnson

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 37:48

It doesn't matter who you are, how many degrees you have, or if you are innocent, a wrongful conviction can happen to anyone. Calvin Johnson is an exoneree from the state of Georgia who spent 16 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. As soon as he was released, he started speaking and sharing his story around the world. It was important for people to understand how such a tragic event could happen to an innocent person and to let people know that it could happen to them too. Calvin was the first exoneree to sit on the board of the New York Innocence Project and also served on the board of the Georgia Innocence Project.

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NY Exoneree & Attorney Jeffrey Deskovic

Choppin' It Up With Jimmie C. -- Life After Wrongful Conviction

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2020 62:30

A wrongful conviction can happen to anyone, that's why we advocate so fiercely for our brothers and sisters inside. Jeffrey Deskovic is an exonerated man out of New York who was wrongfully convicted for a crime he did not commit. Now that he's home, he has started a non-profit organization, The Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice that has brought 7 people home and has helped change 3 laws in New York. He even took it a step further, passed his bar exam and is now an attorney fighting for justice.

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Part 2: Interview with Clemente Aguirre: Florida Death Row Exoneree

Catholics Across the Aisle

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2020 22:41

In the second part of our interview, we sit down and finish our discussion with Clemente Aguirre, a Florida death row exoneree. Clemente tells the in-depth story about how he was wrongfully incarcerated and put on death row. Listen to his story and how he turned to God and leaned on his faith to get him through such a hard and difficult time.

god death row aguirre clemente exoneree

Part 1: Interview with Clemente Aguirre: Florida Death Row Exoneree

Catholics Across the Aisle

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2020 17:00

In this episode, we sit down with Clemente Aguirre, a Florida death row exoneree. Clemente tells the in-depth story about how he was wrongfully incarcerated and put on death row. Listen to his story and how he turned to God and leaned on his faith to get him through such a hard and difficult time.

god death row aguirre clemente exoneree

Georgetown Alumnus and Exoneree Brian Ferguson

Choppin' It Up With Jimmie C. -- Life After Wrongful Conviction

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2020 53:43

Brian was in college with a 4.0 GPA getting ready to go to law school when he was sentenced to life in prison for a crime he knew nothing about. He was sent to a maximum-security facility in West Virginia, that's he met Jimmie and they've been close friends since that day. 11 years later his case was overturned and he was finally exonerated. Brian has been active since gaining his freedom, he still fights for his brothers and sisters inside. He has worked in Washington, DC as the Director of the Mayor's Office of Returning Citizens and is currently obtaining his Master's Degree at Oxford University.

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Mr. Leslie Vass; 1st Exoneree for the State of Maryland. A look into the American Justice Systems...

Blak Boxx Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2020 64:49

In this three part conversation; this being ACT Three:: Finishing Arguments. Mr. Leslie Vass gives us the account of being unjustly accused/charged AGAIN for an attack on his Wife, how his childrenS lives were effected during his incarceration, and the trials and tribulations of starting over after being proven NOT GULTY yet again. Please listen to ACT One:: RAILROADED and ACT two:: CAGED AND ENRAGED before u delve into the conclusion ACT three:: FINISHING ARGUMENTS to provide proper context. This concludes the story of Mr. Leslie Vass being told by Mr. Leslie Vass....After the story by Leslie Vass don’t miss the REFLECTIONZ.... DaBoXX has to talk about iT. REALPeople| sharin REALStories| in REALTime| that’s REALRelevant| makin REALHistory| BoXXUp!!! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blakboxx/message

children wife maryland act real time real stories real people american justice exoneree leslie vass

Mr. Leslie Vass; 1st Exoneree for the State of Maryland. A look into the American Justice Systems...

Blak Boxx Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2020 92:51

In this THREE PART conversation; this being ACT TWO:: Caged and Enraged... U hear the story from Leslie Vass;; in ACT TWO_Leslie reminisces about what the climate of his life was in 1975, he explains his relationships and experienceS in JAIL, and he also shares the events that led to his subsequent release from the Division of Corrections by Judge ROBERT BELL. It is ironic that we are releasing Act two:: Caged and Enraged an autobiographical compilation on:: July 4tH{Independence Day}... This three part series is a riveting and honest depiction of the of The State OF Maryland’s first EXONEREE;; MR. LESLIE VASS from the mouth of MR. LESLIE VASS.... REALPeople| sharin REALStories| in REALTime| that’s REALRelevant| makin REALHistory| BoXXUp!!! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blakboxx/message

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Mr. Leslie Vass; 1st Exoneree for the State of Maryland. A look into the American Justice Systems...

Blak Boxx Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2020 59:15

In this THREE PART conversation; this being ACT ONE...U hear the story from Leslie Vass;; about HIS life as Young BLaK male in Cherry HiLL {BALTIMORE}before his arrest at 17 years old. He speakS about his family, relationships in the community, and his status as burgeoning basketball star in BaltimoreCity at the time of said arrest. It is ironic that we are releasing this autobiographical compilation on:: July 2nd.... ON THIS DAY;; 45 YEARS AGO... IN 1975... MR, LESLIE VASS WAS CONVICTED IN BALTIMORE CITY;; TRIED AS AN ADULT AT 17 YEARS OLD BY JUDGE JAMES PERROTT.... This three part series is a riveting and honest depiction of the of The State OF Maryland’s first EXONEREE;; MR. LESLIE VASS from the mouth of MR. LESLIE VASS.... REALPeople| sharin REALStories| in REALTime| that’s REALRelevant| makin REALHistory| BoXXUp!!! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blakboxx/message

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FBII-Fernando Bermudez Is Innocent!

Crime Redefined

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2020 65:00

Fernando Bermudez is an inspirational exoneree and criminal justice educator and activist. His nightmare began in 1991 when he was arrested for a murder he did not commit. He suffered a wrongful conviction and 18 years of incarceration as a result. In 2009 he was found actually innocent and began the fight for his rightful compensation. Mr. Bermudez is a distinguished international public speaker. Hosted by Dion Mitchell and Mehul Anjaria. A Zero Cliff Media production.

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Exoneree Darryl Burton Challenges Trial Lawyers College Alumni

The Trial Lawyers College Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2020 46:43

Tick tock, tick tock, drip, drip, drip. For over 25 years, these sounds and the screams of mankind -- literal screams, the kind you cannot forget -- disturbed this week's special guest from his peace. Darryl Burton served hard time for a murder he did not commit. The compelling story of how he survived to walk free is an epic tale, but in his life today Darryl draws upon the experiences of the past to give others a brighter future. Today he follows a different calling -- the eternal call of faith in God. A preacher and a freedom fighter, Darryl spends his days visiting Covid-19 patients, inmates, and those who need a little faith. His nonprofit organization, The Miracle of Innocence was founded to get much-needed funds to those who are actually innocent and need referrals for legal representation. The organization supports re-entry of innocent prisoners through referrals and placement for housing, job opportunities, life skills, transportation, and much more. They also educate communities about the injustice and needs of innocent prisoners to gain support and advocacy for their release and re-entry success. Darryl offers solutions and an urgent plea for TLC. Please listen as Darryl creates the reality of the world with his words, faith, and deeds. Listen carefully to the challenge he offers to each of you. Will you answer the call?

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Exoneree Vicente Benavides

CA Death Row

Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2020 35:51

Vicente Benavides was convicted and sentecex to death. He spent 25 years on death row before being exonerated and released from prison.

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Interview: Scott Lewis, Exonerated after 20 Years in Prison (with Amanda Knox)

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Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2020 15:42

In 1995, 29-year-old Scott Lewis was wrongly convicted of a 1990 double homicide based on the testimony of an incentivized informant. Despite having an alibi for the time of the killings, Lewis was convicted and sentenced to 240 years in prison, later reduced to 120 years. He spent two decades fighting to prove his innocence, and his conviction was finally overturned in 2015 after a detective came forward testifying that a dirty cop had coerced a false statement from the informant.

45 - An Innocent Man in Prison for 9 Years & the Prosecutor Who Put Him Away!

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Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2020 122:17

Ken Wyniemko served nine years in prison for a rape he did not commit. A former bowling manager and General Motors employee, Ken believes he was targeted by Clinton Township police. Ken has since been exonerated for this crime and the real rapist has confessed after Ken’s own legislation reform caught him. Ken now works with the Innocence Project to help other innocent men and women get out of prison. Carl Marlinga is a Macomb County judge and was the Prosecutor at the time of Ken’s sentencing. Carl was unaware of the injustice in Ken’s case and since finding out has been one of Ken’s biggest supporters. Mike and Kevin sat down with Ken and Carl to figure out how and why this injustice happened to Carl. They discuss the recent Netflix series, “The Innocence Files” which has an episode dedicated to Ken’s story. They also analyze the evidence and testimony to figure out how the legal system can be improved for future cases. This is a story of forgiveness, systemic change, and steadfastness through the worst circumstances.

Interview: Exoneree Kian Khatibi, Police Withheld Alibi Evidence (with Amanda Knox)

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Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2020 26:18

In 1999, 23-year-old Kian Khatibi was wrongly convicted of a 1998 stabbing actually perpetrated by his brother. He served nine years in prison before his brother confessed to the crime and Khatibi's conviction was vacated. After his release, he went to law school and started his own law practice in New York City. Today, in his capacity as an attorney, Khatibi serves Covid essential businesses in obtaining special construction permits. He also owns and operates a restaurant, Hopkins and Hawley, currently on lockdown due to the pandemic.

Interview: Exoneree Chester Hollman III, Wrongfully Convicted of Murder Based on False Testimony (with Amanda Knox)

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Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2020 13:55

In 1993, 23-year-old Chester Hollman III was wrongly convicted of the 1991 murder of Tae Jung Ho in Philadelphia. The state's case rested entirely on false eyewitness testimony. He spent 28 years in prison before he was finally exonerated and released in July 2019. His story is featured in the new Netflix docuseries The Innocence Files. Amanda Knox reached out to Chester to learn what it was like for him to tell his story to Netflix, and to ask how he's adjusting to freedom during the pandemic.

The Midwest Innocence Project With Exoneree Darryl Burton

Jaws of Justice Radio

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2020 57:40

The Midwest Innocence Project With Exoneree Darryl Burton The inaugural broadcast of Jaws of Justice Radio is hosted by Harriett Khuene and Gabi Otto. They spent the hour with Jay Swearingen Director of the Midwest Innocence Project and Darryl Burton recently exonerated from the Missouri Department of Corrections for a crime he did not commit.

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Interview: Exoneree Marty Tankleff, Wrongfully Convicted of Killing His Parents (with Amanda Knox)

Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2020 21:42

On today's podcast we present an exclusive interview between Amanda Knox and Marty Tankleff who was wrongfully convicted of killing his parents when he was just 19 years old and spent over 17 years in prison until his conviction was vacated in 2007.

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Interview: Exoneree Heidi Goodwin, Conviction Vacated after Evidence Deemed "Junk Science" (with Amanda Knox)

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Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2020 19:03

An Interview with Heidi Goodwin

Interview: Exoneree Ginny LeFever, Wrongfully Convicted of Killing Her Husband (with Amanda Knox)

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Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2020 10:20

Interview: Khalil Rushdan, An Exoneree's Mission to Protect the Incarcerated (with Amanda Knox)

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Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2020 19:04

In 1997, Khalil Rushdan was convicted of murder and spent 15 years in prison before his conviction was overturned. He now works for the ACLU of Arizona, helping former prisoners with their re-entry into free society. Amanda Knox reached out to Khalil to discuss the reality of healthcare inside prison, the ACLU's class action lawsuit against the Arizona Department of Corrections for their failure to provide adequate medical care, and his thoughts on how Governor Doug Ducey's response to the pandemic has affected these already challenging conditions.

Interview: Exoneree Josh Kezer on his Quest for Peace in Quarantine (with Amanda Knox)

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Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2020 21:33

In 1994, 19-year-old Josh Kezer was convicted for a 1992 murder, though no physical evidence linked him to the crime scene and alibi witnesses placed him hundreds of miles away. He spent 16 years in prison before his conviction was overturned and he was released. Amanda Knox reached out to him to ask how his own wrongful conviction and his connection to sexual assault survivors are helping him find peace during quarantine.

Interview: Exoneree Obie Anthony on the Impact of Quarantine on the Formerly Incarcerated (with Amanda Knox)

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2020 16:46

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Opinion: Amanda Knox on the Too Steep Climb to Righting Wrongful Convictions

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Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2020 11:21

Interview: Amanda Knox and Christopher Robinson, The Truth about True Crime - Part 1 of 2