PURSUING JUSTICE: Recent Episodes
Society Bytes Radio
What if you or someone you love were arrested, convicted and incarcerated for a crime but was innocent?
What if the lawyer you hired was incompetent and you were out of money and out of options?
What if years and decades had gone by and you or the person you cared about was still behind bars?
Where would you turn?
Wrongful conviction in the United States occurs more often than you might think.
Just last year, according to the National Registry of Exonerations, 156 people were released from prison after being proven innocent.
Since 1989, 2,479 people were exonerated across the country. Since 1973, 156 people were taken off Death Row and walked out of prison.
For every 10 people executed, 1 person was set free.
Who was behind these exonerations? Innocence Projects (nearly one for every state) and some Conviction Integrity Review Units.
Innocence Projects investigate and litigate pro bono for every client they help.
This podcast will explore causes of wrongful conviction, speak to exonerees and their families, learn what it is like to advocate
for innocent people, share books written by the exonerees themselves and discuss films about wrongful conviction.
Harriet Hendel is on the Board of Directors of the Innocence Project of Florida. She has been active with the organization since 2009.
She will be interviewing men who have been exonerated by the Innocence Project of Florida along with the Executive Director of the Project.
Harriet has created many different classes centered around the topic of wrongful conviction which she teaches in Sarasota, FL.
She also speaks to civic groups, churches, synagogues, retirement homes and colleges about the work of The Innocence Project of Florida.
: Marking 20 Years: The Innocence Project of Florida
Seth Miller has been part of The Innocence Project of Florida for 17 years becoming Executive Director in 2007. Looking back, he will tell us about the project’s early years, highlight its accomplishments and talk about some of the first cases IPF took on
Guest Name: Distinguished Professor Daniel Medwed
email: d.medwed@northeastern.edu
website:
Phone: (917)601-0299
BARRED:WHY THE INNOCENT CAN’T GET OUT OF PRISON Part 2
Professor Daniel Medwed is a professor of law at Northeastern University in Boston. He graduated from Harvard Law in 1995 and is a legal analyst for WGBH. His focus is the topic of wrongful conviction. He is a founding member of the Innocence Network, a consortium of Innocence Projects around the US and the world. He will discuss his new book.
Distinguished Professor Daniel Medwed
BARRED:WHY THE INNOCENT CAN’T GET OUT OF PRISON by Daniel Medwed
Professor Daniel Medwed is a professor of law at Northeastern University in Boston. He graduated from Harvard Law in 1995 and is a legal analyst for WGBH. His focus is the topic of wrongful conviction. He is a founding member of the Innocence Network, a consortium of Innocence Projects around the US and the world. He will discuss his new book.
Topic:”The Exonerated” (cast members)
Show Description:Paulette is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and serves on the Board of the Ridgefield Theater Barn where the play was presented in the Fall of 2022. She is a playwright, production manager and director.
Chris began appearing on stage at age 47, having been a member of S.A.G. since 2007. He’s acted on TV and in film.
He appears in “BOSS” on HBO.
Kevin appeared in “Fences” at Ridgefield Theater Barn in addition to playing the role of Fredrick Douglas in “Sisters”. He has been an actor for 10 years. He is founder and President of the K group, a market research company.
Prison University Project began at San Quentin in 1996 in a trailer with 2 volunteer instructors, donated textbooks and no budget. Over time, several thousand inmates have participated, many earning Associate Degrees. Now P.U.P. has become Mt. Tamalpais College, an independent accredited college inside the prison. Our guests are the President of Mt. Tam College {Jody Lewen} and a graduate of P.U.P. who earned a degree at San Diego State in Criminal Justice.
Our focus is a higher education program inside 2 prisons in Maryland: a women’s facility and a men’s. Our guests are: Eliza Cornejo, Executive Director of the partnership and Ramieka Robinson-Peoples, a former GPEP student
finishing her B.A. at Goucher.
Our focus is a higher education program inside 2 prisons in Maryland: a women’s facility and a men’s. Our guests are: Eliza Cornejo, Executive Director of the partnership and Ramieka Robinson-Peoples, a former GPEP student
finishing her B.A. at Goucher.
Our podcast will feature one of three authors of a 66 page article appearing in the Northwestern Law Review published in October 2021. Rachel Lopez is an Associate Professor of Law at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. The theme of the article is the question of redemption. Life Without Parole is essentially Death By Incarceration,sending the message that those accused of serious crimes are incapable of redemption.
The article “Redeeming Justice” discussing the right to redemption for people serving a Life Without Parole sentence has garnered much attention in legal circles. A number of advocates have brought several legal complaints that address this right. Astha Sharma Pokharel will discuss a complaint to the United Nations (to be filed on September 15, 2022) alleging that the United States is committing torture by condemning people to “death by incarceration” {DBI} through extreme sentences such as Life Without Parole. Astha is a graduate of NYU Law School and a former Fellow at the Center for Constitutional Rights.
Kempis Songster, aKa Ghani, is a founding member of Right To Redemption Committee and the Coalition to abolish Death By Incarceration. He is also co-founder and director of Ubuntu Philadelphia. Since his release in 2017 after 30 years in prison, starting when he was 15 years Old, Ghani has emerged as a leader in Philadelphia’s movement to end mass incarceration and to create restorative responses to harm and violence. He has his own podcast called “Move It Forward Show.
Terrell Carter was born and raised in West Philadelphia. He is one of 10 siblings. He served over three decades of a Life Without Parole sentence and was released in July 2022. After having his sentence commuted by Governor Tom Wolf. While he was incarcerated, he was a hospice volunteer, authored three novels, short stories, and poems, facilitated workshops, graduated from Villanova and is currently pursuing a Masters in creative writing. He has dedicated his life towards bringing an end to the inhumane practice of condemning men, women, and children to die in prison and to restore hope in those who have had it stripped away. Terrell will share his personal story and his advocacy work.
Kempis Songster, aKa Ghani, is a founding member of Right To Redemption Committee and the Coalition to abolish Death By Incarceration. He is also co-founder and director of Ubuntu Philadelphia. Since his release in 2017 after 30 years in prison, starting when he was 15 years Old, Ghani has emerged as a leader in Philadelphia’s movement to end mass incarceration and to create restorative responses to harm and violence. He has his own podcast called “Move It Forward Show.
Terrell Carter was born and raised in West Philadelphia. He is one of 10 siblings. He served over three decades of a Life Without Parole sentence and was released in July 2022. After having his sentence commuted by Governor Tom Wolf. While he was incarcerated, he was a hospice volunteer, authored three novels, short stories, and poems, facilitated workshops, graduated from Villanova and is currently pursuing a Masters in creative writing. He has dedicated his life towards bringing an end to the inhumane practice of condemning men, women, and children to die in prison and to restore hope in those who have had it stripped away. Terrell will share his personal story and his advocacy work.
Leticia Longaria-Navarro: director of The PATHfinder Network in Portland, Oregon.
Victor Trillo; Victor leads a club at Parkrose H.S. in Portland for kids impacted by incarceration in their families. He spent 20+ years in prison.
Leticia Longaria-Navarro: director of The PATHfinder Network in Portland, Oregon.
Victor Trillo; Victor leads a club at Parkrose H.S. in Portland for kids impacted by incarceration in their families. He spent 20+ years in prison.
Allison Langer is a Writing Coach, Author, and a Co-Producer of Podcast - " Writing Class Radio".
Andrea Askowitz is a Author and Co-Producer and Co-Host of " Writing Class Radio".
Allison Langer is a Writing Coach, Author, and a Co-Producer of Podcast - " Writing Class Radio".
Andrea Askowitz is a Author and Co-Producer and Co-Host of " Writing Class Radio".
Andrea Elliott has just won her second Pulitzer Prize for Invisible Child, a book about a homeless family of 10 living in one room in a shelter in Brooklyn. The book is a portrait of poverty, addiction and how we address homelessness in this country. The main focus of the book is the oldest child named Dasani. We watch her grow up beginning at age 11 over a period of 8 years. Elliott won her first Pulitzer Prize in 2007 for her series: "Am I man in America". She is an investigative reporter for the New York Times.
Lauren Cohen is a Professor of Law at Rutgers and Director of the Criminal & Youth Justice Clinic.
Huwe Burton Spent 18 years in Prison from Age 16-34 for a crime he did not commit.
Lauren Cohen is a Professor of Law at Rutgers and Director of the Criminal & Youth Justice Clinic.
Huwe Burton Spent 18 years in Prison from Age 16-34 for a crime he did not commit.
Andrea Elliott won the Pulitzer Prize in 2007 and is the author of Invisible Child, one of the 10 best books of 2021.
Catherine spent 17 years behind bars and is now Co-director of Outreach and mentor for the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth.
Catherine spent 17 years behind bars and is now Co-director of Outreach and mentor for the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth.
Preston is Senior Policy Counsel with CFSY working directly with state legislators around the country to change sentencing statutes for juveniles.
Preston is Senior Policy Counsel with CFSY working directly with state legislators around the country to change sentencing statutes for juveniles.
Anton is the Public Affairs Fellow for the Society and was a Public Defender and local activist for 25 years.
John has been with the Society for 15 years as a volunteer and now as a coordinator for all 300 volunteers.
Harriet was a member of the Board of Directors with
The Innocence Project of Florida. She has been a host of
Pursuing Justice for 2 years on Societybytesradio.
Harriet was a member of the Board of Directors with
The Innocence Project of Florida. She has been a host of
Pursuing Justice for 2 years on Societybytesradio.
Larry Walker spent 38 years behind bars as an innocent man.
His daughter was his advocate helping to find freedom for her father.
Larry Walker spent 38 years behind bars as an innocent man.
His daughter was his advocate helping to find freedom for her father.
Paul is legal director for Centurion Ministries and has given his services to them since 1983
Paul is legal director for Centurion Ministries and has given his services to them since 1983
Private Investigator helping the wrongfully convicted; author of Presumed Guilty; Investigative Journalist for the Chicago Sun Times and other newspapers.
Private Investigator helping the wrongfully convicted; author of Presumed Guilty; Investigative Journalist for the Chicago Sun Times and other newspapers.
Jen was wrongfully accused of child molestation and served 13 years in prison. She was exonerated in 1997.
Jen was wrongfully accused of child molestation and served 13 years in prison. She was exonerated in 1997.
Attorney with Pennsylvania Innocence ProjectAttorney with Pennsylvania Innocence Project
Co-founder of the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia in 1975;key player in
landmark decisions banning life without parole for juveniles and the juvenile death penalty.
Co-founder of the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia in 1975;key player in
landmark decisions banning life without parole for juveniles and the juvenile death penalty.
Abd'allah was sentenced to Life Without Parole at the age of 17.
He served 31 years. He works for Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth.
Abd'allah was sentenced to Life Without Parole at the age of 17.
He served 31 years. He works for Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth.
Exonerated in 2006 having been falsely accused of murder at age 17.
Spent 17 years in prison. Started his own foundation to help others who have been wrongly accused.
Exonerated in 2006 having been falsely accused of murder at age 17.
Spent 17 years in prison. Started his own foundation to help others who have been wrongly accused.
Exonerated in 2006 having been falsely accused of murder at age 17.
Spent 17 years in prison. Started his own foundation to help others who have been wrongly accused.
Randall is a founding member of Witness to Innocence. He spent 3 1/2 years on Death Row in Alabama.
Perry spent nine Years on Death Row as an innocent man. It took 5 trials to declare him innocent.
Lawyer spent 2 years on Death Row and 8 more years in prison as an innocent man. He was released in 1982.
Justis4JustUs: an organization founded by Kristine to help exonerees transition back into society after prison.
Kristine Bunch spent 16 years in prison on a charge of arson, which killed her 3 year old son. She was proven innocent of all.
Jessica and Erik are a husband & wife writing team as well as actors/directors. Winners of many awards, their play {The Exonerated} was named "Best Play of the Year" by the New York Times in 2000.
TOPIC: "The Exonerated": bringing the story of several death row exonerees to Off Broadway and the nation...continuing our discussion of how the play came to be written and its impact all over the country.
Jessica and Erik are a husband & wife writing team as well as actors/directors. Winners of many awards, their play {The Exonerated} was named "Best Play of the Year" by the New York Times in 2000.
TOPIC: "The Exonerated": bringing the story of several death row exonerees to Off Broadway and the nation...continuing our discussion of how the play came to be written and its impact all over the country.
Jessica and Erik are a husband & wife writing team as well as actors/directors. Winners of many awards, their play {The Exonerated} was named "Best Play of the Year" by the New York Times in 2000.
TOPIC: "The Exonerated": bringing the story of several death row exonerees to Off Broadway and the nation...continuing our discussion of how the play came to be written and its impact all over the country.
Jessica and Erik are a husband & wife writing team as well as actors/directors. Winners of many awards, their play {The Exonerated} was named "Best Play of the Year" by the New York
Lawyer and Founder of "After Innocence"-a non profit organization for wrongly convicted exonerees helping them with reentry serving all 48 states
Lawyer and Founder of "After Innocence"-a non profit organization for wrongly convicted exonerees helping them with reentry serving all 48 states.
Teresa has been an attorney for 19 years in addition to being a Public Defender, a judge and a prosecutor.
Teresa has been an attorney for 19 years in addition to being a Public Defender, a judge and a prosecutor.
Author of the new book (When Truth Is All You Have). Jim founded "Centurion Ministries", the first Innocence Project in the nation.
Centurion has exonerated 63 men and women. It is located in Princeton, NJ.
Author of the new book (When Truth Is All You Have). Jim founded "Centurion Ministries", the first Innocence Project in the nation.
Centurion has exonerated 63 men and women. It is located in Princeton, NJ.
Author of the new book (When Truth Is All You Have). Jim founded "Centurion Ministries", the first Innocence Project in the nation.
Centurion has exonerated 63 men and women. It is located in Princeton, NJ.
Ken Hartman spent 38 years in prison as a convicted murderer; granted clemency by Gov. Brown
of California after being given Life Without Parole.
Alia is the daughter of a man given Life Without Parole and has had to adjust to
many challenges in her 25 years. She and her dad have created a strong bond
beginning when she was conceived in prison.
Ken Hartman spent 38 years in prison as a convicted murderer; granted clemency by Gov. Brown
of California after being given Life Without Parole.
Ken Hartman spent 38 years in prison as a convicted murderer; granted clemency by Gov. Brown
of California after being given Life Without Parole.
Segment # 2: "The Impact of Wrongful Conviction on All and the Birth of Healing Justice
Jennifer Thompson is the founder of Healing Justice and a crime survivor whose case resulted in
a wrongful conviction and exoneration.
Bio: Katie Monroe is the Executive Director of Healing Justice and is the family member of someone who was wrongly convicted.
Main Topic: From Harm to Healing with Healing Justice
Segment #1: "Crime Victim Experiences with Wrongful Conviction"
Active with POPS the club since age 14. She is now 19. Dad is incarcerated. Katherine
attends University now hoping to be a probation officer or lawyer.
Karen graduates in 2 weeks from UCI (University of California at Irvine)and hopes to go
to Law School. She was raised by a single mom as her dad is serving 2 life sentences.She is now
the communications intern with POPS the club.
Steven's parents have both been in prison. His dad has been out for 10 years.
He has made a documentary as part of his participation with "Echoes of Incarceration"
called: "Re-imagining Justice".
His dad was incarcerated when he was 3 months old. Met him as a young adult
and made a documentary about his first visit with his father at Sing Sing. He is active with
"Echoes of Incarceration"--a support group for kids with parents behind bars. He is now 26 years old.
Anthony Scott joined IPF in 2006 to direct the social services section. He has expertise working with both prisoners and ex-offenders, having provided psychotherapy at House Of Hope and Broward Outreach Center. Mr. Scott is also a founding member of the National Exoneree Support Committee, networking with and training innocence project workers throughout the United States. He is a licensed clinical social worker.
Derrick was accused of a crime he did not commit in 1992.He spent 18 years in prison
as a result. Thanks to IPF, he was exonerated in 2011.
Lawyer with Shutts and Bowen LLP Sarasota, FL
Graduate of Duke University and the University of Florida College of Law
former President of the Florida Bar Foundation; past president of Sarasota County Bar Association.
Member of the Board of Directors of the Innocence Project of Florida.
Jeff Miller is retired from being an accountant with Fortune 500 Companies.
Becky Miller is retired from teaching H.S. English and from teaching writing to students on the college level.
ormer member of Board of Directors of the Innocence Project of Florida
Retired teacher of children with dyslexia; Graduate of Montclair State University with M.A. in
Learning Disabilities. Active with IPF since 2009. Mentor of at-risk students since 2000.
Teacher at OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) in Sarasota.
Danie is a science teacher at the Middle School level. She has known Dean for 30 years as they
met while they were still in high school. Topic: She will give her perspective on what it is like to love someone who is locked up. She will share her views of the justice system speaking from her own experience.
Dean was accused of murder in 1989. He spent the next 30 years in prison for a crime done by his older brother, Scott. Dean was proven innocent by IPF in January 2019.
Executive Director of Innocence Project of Florida since 2006. President of the Worldwide Innocence Network. Teaches law at FSU School of Law. Graduate of FSU College of Law.
Topic: Overview of IPF. Will discuss details of the case of Dean McKee who Seth represented. Dean spent 30 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
Executive Director of Innocence Project of Florida since 2006. President of the Worldwide Innocence Network. Teaches law at FSU School of Law. Graduate of FSU College of Law.
Topic: Overview of IPF. Will discuss details of the case of Dean McKee who Seth represented. Dean spent 30 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
Adina Thompson earned a PhD in criminology, law and society from the
University of Florida in 2014. She serves as intake coordinator at Innocence
Project of Florida, a non-profit post conviction law firm that works to overturn
wrongful convictions, help exonerated people re-enter a changed world and
prevent future miscarriages of justice.
Dr. Thompson reviews claims of innocence from inmate applications across
the state of Florida. She supervises two intake professionals and a team of
law student interns. She is also an adjunct professor at Arkansas State
University and lectures frequently on issues related to wrongful conviction
and exoneration.
Nathan was arrested and incarcerated for a murder he did not commit
in 1976 when he was 18 years old. He and his uncle, Clifford Williams Jr.
were tried and convicted together. In 2019 (after 43 years behind bars)
Mr. Myers was freed by a collaboration between the Innocence Project
of Florida and the new Conviction Integrity Review Unit. He is now 61
years old.
Krista Dolan is one of two lawyers on staff at Innocence Project of Florida
based in Tallahassee. She joined the staff in 2018. She was a public
defender in Kentucky for over 5 years. Her undergraduate degree is
from the University of North Florida. Her Masters and Law degree are from
FSU and her LL.M is from American University Washington College of Law.
She is licensed to practice law in NY, FL, Kentucky and admitted to practice
in the Supreme Court of the United States. She represented Mr. Myers.
Innocence Projects investigate and litigate pro bono for every client they help.
This podcast will explore causes of wrongful conviction, speak to exonerees and their families, learn what it is like to advocate
for innocent people, share books written by the exonerees themselves and discuss films about wrongful conviction.
Harriet Hendel is on the Board of Directors of the Innocence Project of Florida. She has been active with the organization since 2009.
Innocence Projects investigate and litigate pro bono for every client they help.
This podcast will explore causes of wrongful conviction, speak to exonerees and their families, learn what it is like to advocate
for innocent people, share books written by the exonerees themselves and discuss films about wrongful conviction.
Harriet Hendel is on the Board of Directors of the Innocence Project of Florida. She has been active with the organization since 2009.
Kate Germand joined Centurion Ministries in January of 1987 after reading an article in the NY Times about Jim McCloskey's pioneering work behalf of the wrongly convicted. She thought he might need some help. They met, they thought they could get along and for 30 years worked shoulder to shoulder to free the innocent from prison. Prior to that she was a business woman and community activist in Mendocino, California where she lived with her family for close to 20 years. With Jim's retirement in May 2015 Kate became the executive director of Centurion. For the time being Kate has had to put aside her passion of working in the field on cases until some of her hopes and dreams for Centurion come to fruition. Kate is grateful every single day for Jim's commitment in 1980 to free from prison a complete stranger.