Innocence Project
“Innocent until proven guilty” has been a cornerstone of US courts, although courts are often criticized for basing decisions on “guilty until proven innocent.” Wrongful convictions have to be stopped before they can happen, and innocent people have to be freed.
AD: India Pearman
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Post Copy: On May 14 2005, Nicole Harris experienced the unthinkable: her son, Jaquari, just 4 years old, accidentally strangled himself while playing. The accident happened when Nicole went across the street to do some laundry, and her boyfriend was taking a brief nap—when he woke up, he found Jaquari wrapped in the elastic band of a bedsheet that had come loose.
Nicole Harris was brought in for questioning. After being interrogated for 27 hours, where Harris said she was denied food, water, and a bathroom, she confessed to strangling her own son. Harris was sentenced to 30 years in prison, but continued to file appeals to her case. In 2012, the Court of Appeals finally agreed with her arguments, and she was released in 2013, having served 8 years in prison for a crime that never even happened.
Compared to 21% of men, 63% of women exonerated in the last three decades were wrongfully convicted of crimes that never took place. 40% were falsely accused of hurting their children, or others in their care. To read more about incarcerated women, and to help push back against sexism in the justice system, visit www.innocentproject.org.
Post copy: Anthony Caravella, who lives with an intellectual disability, was arrested for sexual assault and murder when he 15. On December 28, 1983, Caravella was arrested for failing to show up in court for a grand theft auto charge, and while he was in custody, police began asking him about the murder and assault of Ada Jankowski—Caravella gave three different, conflicting confessions, all of which had incorrect details about the case. He went to court anyway.
With his confession as evidence, the prosecution accused Caravella of the crimes, despite DNA evidence being inconclusive, and questioned a friend of his who claimed Caravella was at the scene of the crime. Caravella’s attorneys argued that the police beat and threatened him, which is why he confessed. The jury convicted Anthony Caravella to life in prison when he was just 16 years old. In 2010, after 26 years, the actual assailant was proven and Anthony Caravella was exonerated.
This case has been cited as a reason to record interrogations, in order to hold police accountable and protect the accused. Most false confessions occur after the 6 hours of an interrogation—Anthony Caravella’s interrogation lasted five days.
24 states have already made recorded interrogation required. To join the fight for recorded interrogations, visit: www.innocenceproject.org/getinvolved/.
Find out whether your state is one of the 24: https://innocenceproject.org/false-confessions-recording-interrogations/.
Post copy: It is a law in 38 states that a person cannot sit on Death Row if they live with an intellectual disability. Yet there are dozens of human beings whose lives are at risk, despite being unable to fully participate in their own defense, and act as a strong witness for themselves.
One man is Pervis Payne. Charged with murder and assault, he was unable to defend himself due to his disability, and has no previous criminal record. Yet he has lived on death row for 34 years. While his disability was not initially recognized in his 1987 trial, doctor’s have since confirmed, making his seat unconstitutional.
This is on top of the fact that Pervis Payne has maintained his innocence for his entire 33 year sentence, and that his arrest is wrong and unsupported. Join us in helping fight for Pervis Payne, and everyone who suffers the cruelty of mass incarceration. Visit pervispayne.org for more information.
Post copy: Systemic racism in the legal system cannot be explained with one story, because it lives in every aspect from an arrest, to sentencing, to trial, to jails and prisons, and to the exoneration process. Exonerations of Black people are 22% more likely to involve police misconduct than exonerations of white people. The exoneration process is also longer—innocent Black people are in prison 13 years longer before exoneration than innocent white people. The system is built against non-white communities, not to protect them.
Racial bias exists in arrest quotes for police, in facial recognition tools used for identifying suspects, attempts to forecast crime before it happens (aka predictive policing tools), and gang databases. These preliminary tools and actions are the first step to false conviction. Join us in the fight for judicial reform by visiting www./innocenceproject.org/getinvolved/.
Post Copy: On November 8, 1979, Malcolm Alexander was accused of sexually assaulting a white woman in an antique shop. When questioned, the victim “tentatively” (according to police) selected Alexander out in a photo lineup four months after she was attacked, but by the time the trial came, she said she was sure it was him.
Malcolm Alexander’s lawyer failed to appear in court and file critical documents, including a motion that challenged the identification of him as the assailant. The attorney also did not make an opening statement and did not properly cross-examine the witness, and was later disbarred. Under the inadequate defense of his lawyer and false eyewitness reports, Malcolm received a life sentence for a crime he did not commit. With the help of the Innocence Project, he walked free, 38 long years later.
Of the cases we’ve worked on, 20% have had inadequate defense as a component of wrongful conviction. This is a deeper issue in our justice system, and something we have to fight head-on. For more information and to join the fight for reform, visit https://innocenceproject.org/getinvolved/.
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Experiential
NIKE x Innocence Project
Certain sneakers will have blue soles as part of a partnership, with a percentage of the profits from those sales going towards the organization. Customization option: Can also choose a blue bottom for the shoes in the Nike-By-You option, with a small price increase that will go to the organization as well.
Merchandise
