Innocence Project
@innocence
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We work to help free innocent people from prison and transform the criminal legal system.
New York, NY
Joined September 2008
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, today we’re sharing Leonard Mack’s story, who, on the day of his exoneration, evoked King’s historic phrase: “Free at last, thank God Almighty, I’m free at last.” . Watch the full video:
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Tonight, Missouri executed an innocent man. Our hearts are with Marcellus and his loved ones.
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We wish we had better news. But as of now, #MarcellusWilliams is still scheduled to be executed by Missouri tonight at 6 p.m. central for a crime he is totally innocent of. . Don’t stop sharing his story. It’s not too late to save an innocent life.
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With so little time until #MarcellusWilliams is set to be executed tomorrow, Sept. 24th at 6 p.m., our best tool is our voice. We must make as much noise as possible in these final hours, as public pressure can make all the difference in the moments leading up to an execution.
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BREAKING NEWS: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has granted #RodneyReed an indefinite stay of execution, meaning he no longer has an execution date! Stay tuned for more info.
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#MarcellusWilliams is only THREE days away from being executed for a crime he didn’t commit. We need you to use your platform to stop this cruel, irreversible mistake before it’s too late. .Though the governor's office is closed today, you can tweet and e-mail Gov. Parson now
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BREAKING: St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Hilton has denied the motion to vacate #MarcellusWilliams’ conviction. Marcellus is set to be executed on Sept. 24 for a crime he did not commit.
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BREAKING: New Mexico is now the second state to ban qualified immunity — a major step toward increasing police accountability and preventing wrongful convictions.
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UPDATE: Paul Hildwin was freed today after 35 years in prison (29 on death row) in Florida. He said he was most looking forward to feeling grass under his bare feet for the first time in decades — and here he is doing exactly that. Join us in welcoming him home!
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#MarcellusWilliams, an innocent man, is set to be executed on Sept. 24. His last hope is @GovParsonMO, and we only have 6 days left to urge him to stop this irreversible injustice. Call, tweet, and e-mail Gov. Parson now at 417-373-3400 or here:
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BREAKING: Despite widespread support for clemency based on serious doubts about the integrity of Marcellus Williams’ conviction and death sentence, @GovParsonMO has denied clemency to Marcellus, who is scheduled to be executed tomorrow at 6 p.m. CT.
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This is it. We only have TWO DAYS to stop Missouri from executing #MarcellusWilliams, an innocent man...Though @GovParsonMO's office is closed today, we can’t let a single moment go by where we’re not urging him to take action. Email, tweet, and contact his office now:
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“Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, I’m free at last.” Leonard Mack, exonerated after 47 years. This is the longest wrongful conviction overturned by DNA in U.S. history.
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BREAKING: Today, Marcellus Williams asked the United States Supreme Court to stay his execution based on newly disclosed admissions by the trial prosecutor that he removed at least one Black prospective juror based on his race.
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The jurors, prosecutors and victim’s family in #MarcellusWilliams' case are all supporting his bid for clemency, which has been denied by Missouri’s Republican governor and state Supreme Court.
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BREAKING: The @USSupremeCourt has denied a stay of execution and declined to grant review to Marcellus Williams, allowing his execution to go forward at 6 p.m. CT today.
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BREAKING: New Jersey Court vacates 1996 murder convictions based on DNA identifying another suspect (Cortez/AP)
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Despite admissions of serious prosecutorial misconduct, including improper handling of evidence, #MarcellusWilliams is still facing execution in four days. His last chance is for @GovParsonMO to intervene. Call, tweet, and e-mail Gov. Parson now and urge him to stop the execution
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In a push to save his life, attorneys for #MarcellusWilliams, who faces execution on Tuesday, have filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court arguing that his due process rights were violated.
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“Tonight, we all bear witness to Missouri’s grotesque exercise of state power. Let it not be in vain. This should never happen, and we must not let it continue,” said Tricia Rojo Bushnell, #MarcellusWilliams' lawyer.
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BREAKING: Jabar Walker was just exonerated in New York City after 25 years of wrongful conviction for a double homicide he did not commit.
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#MarcellusWilliams is 5 days away from execution despite the state of Missouri admitting serious errors in his case and evidence of his innocence. Call, tweet, and e-mail @GovParsonMO now and urge him to stop the execution before it’s too late at 417-373-3400. #SaveMarcellus .Act
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BREAKING NEWS: The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stayed the April 27 execution of Melissa Lucio for a crime that never occurred. She finally has a chance to prove her innocence in court. #SaveMelissaLucio .
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BREAKING NEWS: Today, the State of Maryland moved to overturn Adnan Syed's conviction because the prosecution withheld favorable evidence at his trial. According to @exonerationlist, 44% of exonerations involve the withholding of exculpatory evidence.
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A24's Sing Sing is about a wrongfully convicted man who finds hope through a prison theater program. The film is based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing prison in New York. Catch the film at your local theater next week:.
‘SING SING’ will become the first feature film to be released in theaters and in prisons at the same time. A24 will be releasing the film to almost 1 million incarcerated people across the U.S. next week. (Source:
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By now, the State will have asked #MarcellusWilliams to fill out the paperwork about who he wants to witness his execution, if anyone, and if he has a spiritual advisor he’d like to be present. We can't let this happen. Read more about what Marcellus is facing and how to help.
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Thank you to all who called, tweeted, and spoke out against the execution of an innocent person. Today, we celebrate. Tomorrow, we keep working to prove #RodneyReed's innocence.
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BREAKING: Leonard Mack was exonerated today — on his birthday — after nearly five decades of wrongful conviction in New York. “I never lost hope that one day that I would be proven innocent. Now the truth has come to light and I can finally breathe.".
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“Tonight, Missouri will execute an innocent man, Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams. More than one million concerned citizens and faith leaders implored Governor Parson to commute Marcellus’s death sentence. Missouri will kill him anyway,” said Tricia Rojo Bushnell, his lawyer.
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Julius Jones has spent 20 years on death row in Oklahoma for a crime he's always said he didn't commit. Now NBA players @blakegriffin23, @russwess44, and @TheTraeYoung are calling for Julius to be freed.
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BREAKING NEWS: Our client John Nolley is exonerated of murder in Texas after wrongly serving 19 years in prison!
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Today, we remember Kalief Browder on the 9th anniversary of his death. Kalief died by suicide after being traumatized by the violence and isolation he endured at New York City’s notorious Rikers Island, where he spent three years for a crime he didn't commit.
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It is still legal for police to lie to children during interrogations in almost every state.
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Just now, a judge has granted a temporary order stopping the scheduled execution of #RobertRoberson, who has maintained his innocence for over two decades. The Office of the Attorney General says it will appeal this decision.
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After 26 years on death row in Mississippi, Eddie Lee Howard has been exonerated. Eddie, an Innocence Project and @olemisslaw client, is our first exonerated client of 2021! Join us in welcoming him home.
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The @NAACP is urgently calling on Gov. Mike Parson to stop the execution of #MarcellusWilliams. In an open letter, they warned that executing Marcellus would be a “horrible miscarriage of justice” and a reflection of Missouri’s troubling racial past.
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Melissa Lucio faces execution in less than 90 days in Texas for a crime that never occurred. Read more about her case, and add your name to the #SaveMelissaLucio petition to join @innocence in preventing an irreversible injustice.
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BREAKING NEWS: 16 Texas senators on both sides of the aisle urge @GovAbbott and the parole board to stop the November 20 execution of #RodneyReed.
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"Justice requires that evidence of this case be reheard before this man can be executed, and failing to do so would be a travesty of justice.".—Deke Pierce, Williamson County deputy #RodneyReed.
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-Text “Marcellus” to 97016 to join his advocacy team. -Stand against his execution by signing his petition: -Share Marcellus’s story far and wide.
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"It's outrageous that Missouri is so close to executing Marcellus Williams," @helenprejean wrote. "He was convicted at a trial where prosecutors intentionally struck at least one Black person from the jury pool . His DNA is not on the murder weapon."
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Breaking: Eric Kelley and Ralph Lee taste freedom for first time in 24 years of wrongful conviction!
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BREAKING: Perry Lott was just exonerated by DNA after 35 years of wrongful conviction in Oklahoma. “I have never lost hope that this day would come. I can finally shut this door and move on with my life.”.
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“That is not justice. And we must all question any system that would allow this to occur. The execution of an innocent person is the most extreme manifestation of Missouri’s obsession with ‘finality’ over truth, justice, and humanity, at any cost," said Tricia Rojo Bushnell, his.
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BREAKING NEWS: The Missouri Supreme Court has scheduled @The_MIP and our client #MarcellusWilliams to be executed on Sept. 24, 2024 for a crime DNA proves he didn't commit. We have three months to stop the execution of an innocent person:
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Last year, our client Archie Williams was exonerated after nearly 37 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Recently, his dreams of singing on the @AGT stage came true.
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“As dark as today is, we owe it to Khaliifah to build a brighter future. We are thankful to the St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney, for his commitment to truth and justice and all he did to try to prevent this unspeakable wrong. And for the millions of people who signed petitions,.
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“Khaliifah is a kind and thoughtful man, who spent his last years supporting those around him in his role as Imam. We will remember him for his deeply evocative poetry and his love for and service to his family and his community … The world will be a worse place without him,"
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“We will continue pursuing every possible option to prevent Mr. Williams’ wrongful execution. There is still time for the courts or Governor Parson to ensure that Missouri does not commit the irreparable injustice of executing an innocent person,” said Tricia Rojo Bushnell,.
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Time is running out to stop Missouri from executing an innocent man. It’s up to Gov. Mike Parson to grant clemency and commute #MarcellusWilliams sentence to life without parole, or, at minimum, stay the execution for further appeals to be resolved.
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.@innocence @the_mip client #MarcellusWilliams will be executed on Sept. 24 for a crime he didn't commit if @GovParsonMO does not step in. Join me in calling him now: 417-373-3400 #SaveMarcellus
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The Innocence Project joins in congratulating Innocence Project board member Yusef Salaam of the Exonerated Five (@dr_yusefsalaam) on winning a seat on the New York City Council. Congratulations, Yusef!
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BREAKING NEWS: #AlfredSwinton of Connecticut was just exonerated after 16 years in prison for a 1991 murder he didn’t commit:
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Marcellus' legal team is still in active litigation with the U.S. Supreme Court. His case has drawn widespread support– more than 1,400,000 concerned citizens petitioned @GovParsonMO to commute his death sentence.
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BREAKING NEWS: Felipe Rodriguez was just exonerated of all charges against him in New York. Felipe served 27 years in prison for a murder he has always maintained he did not commit. Congrats, Felipe, @Nina_R_Morr, and @zmolaw!
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BREAKING NEWS: Mark Denny was declared "actually innocent" by Brooklyn D.A. review unit after nearly 30 years in prison for rape and robbery, becoming @innocence's 199th exoneree:
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For the first time ever, we will be appearing in court on behalf of a prosecutor. Texas prosecutor Eric Hillman was wrongly fired when he refused to follow an illegal order to hide potentially exculpatory evidence from a defendant. Learn more:
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We now have to do everything in our power to help stop Marcellus’ impending execution on Sept. 24. Your voice could make a crucial difference in the fight for justice.
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The Supreme Court has ruled that some federal prisoners who are completely innocent must serve out their entire sentence, with no meaningful way to challenge their unlawful conviction.
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.@DukeLaw Wrongful Convictions Clinic client Ronnie Long has been wrongly incarcerated for 44 years. North Carolina acknowledged hidden evidence & false testimony in his case, but Ronnie's still in prison. Ask Gov. Cooper to grant clemency at 919-814-2000
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On this day, 17 years ago, Anthony Robinson was pardoned in Texas for a sexual assault he didn't commit. Today, he is the first exoneree admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court Bar:
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“Missouri is poised to execute an innocent man, an outcome that calls into question the legitimacy of the entire criminal justice system . the courts must step in to prevent this irreparable injustice.”. –Tricia Rojo Bushnell, attorney for Marcellus Williams.
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BREAKING: Innocence Project client Alfred Swinton has been released after nearly 20 years in prison
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"50 years of life and it's my first time voting. I almost cried. Freedom what a feeling . Dr. Martin Luther Kings Jr.'s legacy was not in vain." —Stefon Morant #electionday
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Help us wish Larry and Calvin Ollins, Omar Saunders, + Marcellius Bradford a happy 17th year of freedom. The men were just teens when they were wrongly convicted of murdering a medical student in Chicago in 1986. They were represented by @ZellnerLaw:
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BREAKING: Danny Davis was released from prison Tuesday after a judge vacated his convictions for a murder DNA evidence proved he did not commit. His release comes after more than 32 years wrongfully incarcerated.
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Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams, 55, was executed on Tuesday despite pleas from the public, the victim's family, and the defense and prosecutor's offices. “All praise be to Allah in every situation!!!,” he wrote in a final statement.
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Breaking news! In a historic victory, NY Legislature passes repeal of 50-A, requiring full disclosure of police disciplinary records. Thank you for your phone calls + support — it made a difference. And thank you to @changethenypd for leading the way.
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"I got hope a miracle happens," said Marcellus' Williams son, ahead of his father's impending execution today at 6 p.m. CST. "This is wrong. I believe my father is truly innocent."
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.@GovParsonMO Please do not let Missouri execute #MarcellusWilliams, an innocent person — where there is overwhelming evidence that his trial was constitutionally unfair — on 9/24.
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On Tuesday night, the state of Missouri executed Marcellus "Khaliifah" Williams. He died because the people who could and should have prevented his death, each for their own reasons, chose to look the other way.
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A diverse group of 69 religious leaders from Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities in Missouri have united in a call for clemency for #MarcellusWilliams.
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"This is my first time voting -- it feels good." -#AndreHatchett, free after 25 yrs. in prison #ElectionDay
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Additionally, the Missouri Supreme Court rejected a request to cancel Marcellus’ execution to allow the lower court to make a new determination about the trial prosecutor’s improper removal of Black prospective jurors on the basis of their race.
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In a letter to @GovParsonMO, Congresswoman @CoriBush wrote, “I urge you to grant [#MarcellusWilliams] clemency . Proceeding with the execution of Marcellus Williams would be a grave injustice and would do serious and lasting harm.”
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"Khaliifah was extraordinary. Never have we met someone like him, and never will we again. Although we are devastated and in disbelief over what the State has done to an innocent man, we are comforted that he left this world in peace." . Read the full statement from Marcellus.
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BREAKING: Pervis Payne has been resentenced to concurrent life sentences, meaning he will be eligible for parole within five years. Pervis has maintained his innocence for more than three decades on death row.
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"I was wrong. I didn't see Robert. I did not hear Robert," said Brian Wharton, the lead detective in his case. "I can tell you now, he is a good man. He is a kind man. He is a gracious man. And he did not do what the state of Texas and I have accused him of.".
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#RodneyReed, who maintains his innocence, has been on death row for the past 21 years for the murder of Stacey Stites in Bastrop, Texas. Since his trial, there is substantial evidence that exonerates Reed and implicates Stites’ fiancé.
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BREAKING: Philly jury: #AnthonyWright NOT GUILTY of '93 murder in retrial after 25 yrs in prison. DNA pvd' innocence
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More than 1,300 Black men have been wrongfully convicted of crimes they did not commit and exonerated since 1989.
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"I could not have done this without the men known as the #exoneratedfive— Antron @dr_yusefsalaam @santanaraymond, Kevin and @koreykingwise. ". — @JharrelJerome wins #EMMY for playing @koreykingwise in @WhenTheySeeUs
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BREAKING: Johnny Tallbear was just exonerated of a murder he didn’t commit after 26 years in Oklahoma prison.
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BREAKING NEWS: Gregory Counts and VanDyke Perry were just exonerated of 1991 crime that never even occurred. They spent a combined 36 years in prison. Learn more
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BREAKING NEWS: After more than 14 years behind bars—including 10 years on Florida’s death row—Clemente Aguirre-Jarquin was just exonerated of all charges in the 2004 murders of his former neighbors.
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In a stunning move, a Texas House committee voted unanimously to subpoena #RobertRoberson ahead of his execution today in a last-ditch effort to save his life.
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Thank you to all who called, tweeted, and spoke out against the execution of an innocent person. Today, we rejoice. Tomorrow, we keep working to prove #RodneyReed's innocence. Stay involved.
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"You stood by me because you saw my humanity—somehow my life was worth living." —Clemente Aguirre-Jarquin
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Marcellus "Khaliifah" Williams should be alive today. In a country that aspires to fulfill the promise of equal justice under law, there should be no place for the death penalty, a barbaric anachronism that does nothing to keep people safe.
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"Just Mercy," based on the work of @eji_org founder Bryan Stevenson, paints a powerful picture of how systemic racism has led to countless injustices. The film is free to stream this month.
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"The case of Marcellus Williams is a blatant miscarriage of justice, and it serves as another reminder that the death penalty should be unwelcome in our country. Williams is not an isolated incident, and a case like his can and will happen again."
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This is urgent. #RobertRoberson is just two days away from being executed for a crime that never happened, and we need your help to stop it..☎️ Call @GovAbbott NOW at 361-264-9653. Time is running out. We cannot allow another innocent person to be executed. .
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BREAKING: Carlton Lewis was exonerated yesterday and freed from prison today after more than three decades of wrongful conviction. New DNA evidence confirmed his continued assertion of innocence.
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"A system that puts that much pressure on people to plead guilty is a problem." @hillharper on #guiltypleaproblem:
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BREAKING NEWS: The NY State Supreme Court has just exonerated our client Rafael Ruiz after 35 years of wrongful conviction. “I have my freedom and now I can go on with my life,” he said.
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BREAKING: Sandra Hemme is finally free after 43 years. Read more:
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Jessica Jauch was held in a MS jail for 96 days without access to a lawyer for a drug crime she didn't commit:
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URGENT: 6 days left — Serious errors in #MarcellusWilliams' case have been admitted, yet Missouri is still set to execute him on Sept. 24. His fate lies in @GovParsonMO hands. Call 417-373-3400 now and urge him to stop the execution before it’s too late.
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