Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby Launches New Initiative To Share Stories Of Men Who Were Wrongfully Convicted

3 years ago 532

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The Baltimore City State’s Attorney Office launched a caller run called “Faces Of Actual Innocence” to assistance stock the stories of men who were wrongfully convicted.

“As we attack International Wrongful Conviction Day, we indispensable observe the state gained by these men and besides admit the families who are present forced to restart their healing journey,” said State’s Attorney Mosby. “While, determination is nary mode we tin ever repair the unspeakable trauma endured by these men and the victims’ families, we are present contiguous to bash our portion to close the wrongs of the past and connection a existent enactment web for those that person endured unimaginable trauma due to the fact that of a flawed transgression justness system.”

The run volition diagnostic video interviews with exonerated men on with a concern with restorative justness nonprofit “Healing Justice.” There volition besides beryllium a sheet treatment which is scheduled for Oct. 2 — Internation Wrongful Conviction Day.

“When guiltless radical are convicted, the interaction connected the wrongfully convicted, their families, victims, and the assemblage is catastrophic. Having a State’s Attorney who recognizes the value of this occupation volition not lone assistance forestall wrongful convictions, but it volition assistance reconstruct the assemblage spot that wrongful convictions person irreparably damaged. We’re thrilled to proceed our concern to code these problems and encouraged that the State’s Attorney has partnered with Healing Justice, the lone enactment that exists to code the corporate harms to exonerees, victims-survivors, and their families,” said Shawn Ambrust, Executive Director, Baltimore Innocence Project.

“Wrongful convictions origin tremendous harm to the exonerated and their families arsenic good arsenic to the archetypal transgression victims and their families, who are often overlooked. Ensuring that victims and families person accusation and support, and are treated with sensitivity and respect, are cardinal to protecting nationalist safety, restoring assurance successful our justness system, and helping each who are harmed successful these cases to retrieve and rebuild. Healing Justice is honored to enactment with the State’s Attorney connected this task to usage restorative practices and restorative justness to make idiosyncratic and assemblage healing,” said Katie Monroe, Executive Director, Healing Justice.

The wrongfully convicted men to beryllium featured include:

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MELVIN THOMAS – On December 15, 2020, Melvin Thomas was exonerated for his relation successful a non-fatal shooting that helium ne'er committed. Mr. Thomas was recovered blameworthy by a tribunal successful 2001 and sentenced to 65 years successful prison. Mr. Thomas’ condemnation was predicated wholly connected the grounds of 1 witness, the victim, who recanted aft seeing the existent perpetrator years later.
KENNETH MCPHERSON AND ERIC SIMMONS – On May 3, 2019, Kenneth McPherson and Eric Simmons, who are brothers, were released from situation aft being incarcerated for astir 25 years successful situation for a execution they did not commit. The archetypal lawsuit relied heavy upon the reflection of a benefitted witnesser and a witnesser who told respective radical that the defendants were not involved. The assemblage was not alert of these statements.
ALFRED CHESTNUT, RANSOM WATKINS, AND ANDREW STEWART – On November 25, 2019, the CIU exonerated Alfred Chestnut, Ransom Watkins, and Andrew Stewart, who were jailed for 36 years for a transgression they didn’t commit. The 3 men were arrested connected Thanksgiving Day successful 1983 and convicted for the execution of a 14-year-old Baltimore teenager.
CLARENCE SHIPLEY – In December 2018, the CIU collaborated with the University of Baltimore Innocence Project Clinic to exonerate Clarence Shipley who served 27 years successful situation for a execution helium did not commit. Mr. Shipley had been wrongfully convicted for the execution of Kevin Smith successful 1991.
JEROME JOHNSON – In July 2018, the CIU and its partners agreed to exonerate Jerome Johnson. Johnson was the 3rd idiosyncratic to beryllium exonerated by the portion successful 3 and a fractional years. Mr. Johnson was released from situation aft serving astir 30 years successful situation for the 1988 execution of Aaron Taylor changeable to decease astatine the Night Owl Bar.
LAMAR JOHNSON – In September 2017, the CIU exonerated Lamar Johnson. Johnson spent astir 14 years down bars, for the first-degree execution of Carlos Sawyer who was changeable successful 2004. The consequent re-investigation of the lawsuit began successful 2016, and resulted successful respective autarkic witnesses confirming that Johnson was not the shooter.
MALCOLM BRYANT – In May 2016, the CIU successfully exonerated Malcolm Bryant for the execution of a 16-year-old teenager. Bryant spent 17 years down bars aft helium was wrongfully convicted successful 1999 of second-degree murder.