Exonerated

Welcome to the second season of Sidebar. A quick warning before we jump in: this episode contains adult language and descriptions of violence. We speak to Maurice Caldwell and Zachary Vanderhorst – two men recently exonerated after spending decades in prison. These men now must grapple with their unjust incarcerations and the toll taken on their lives.Caldwell recently reached an $8 million settlement in a lawsuit against San Francisco after being wrongfully convicted of murder and spending 20 years in prison. We also hear from Kitt Crenshaw, a now-retired police commander who denies claims that he framed Caldwell and says he acted lawfully.Vanderhorst spent over 45 years in prison after California laws allowed charges against him at 19 years old for a murder he didn't commit. Failures of the justice system and his court-appointed legal counsel led to his wrongful conviction.Special guests:Terry Gross, attorney at Gross & BelskyPaige Kaneb, supervising attorney at the Northern California Innocence ProjectRebecca Young, attorney at the San Francisco Public Defender’s OfficePatrick Murray, attorney at Keker, Van Nest & PetersThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.