PURSUING JUSTICE

Jeffrey Toobin Homegrown:Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism  We will explore this newly published book by Jeffrey Toobin. He has written 8 books, this one being his 9th. Toobin was a legal analyst for CNN for twenty years and a staff writer for The New Yorker. His new book puts the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City in historical context. It was the worst attack of domestic terrorism in U.S. History, taking place in April of 1995.

Homegrown:Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism  We will explore this newly published book by Jeffrey Toobin. He has written 8 books, this one being his 9th. Toobin was a legal analyst for CNN for twenty years and a staff writer for The New Yorker. His new book puts the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City in historical context. It was the worst attack of domestic terrorism in U.S. History, taking place in April of 1995.

Marking 20 Years: The Innocence Project of Florida: Looking  Ahead Seth will discuss the future of his nonprofit organization, its recent cases of exoneration and the goals for the future.

Wrongly Accused of the Death of A Child: Another Miscarriage of Justice Stephanie Spurgeon was operating a day care in her home. One of the children in her care died and Stephanie was convicted of manslaughter in 2008. Her sentence was 15 years. Thanks to the Innocence Project of Florida, she was released from prison, having served 8 years. The child’s death was caused by a brain hemorrhage linked to a pre-existing condition of diabetes—not Shaken Baby Syndrome. 

: Wrongly Accused of the Death of A Child: Another Miscarriage of Justice Show Description: Stephanie Spurgeon was operating a day care in her home. One of the children in her care died and Stephanie was convicted of manslaughter in 2008. Her sentence was 15 years. Thanks to the Innocence Project of Florida, she was released from prison, having served 8 years. The child’s death was caused by a brain hemorrhage linked to a pre-existing condition of diabetes—not Shaken Baby Syndrome.  ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

: 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

Johnny Hincapie and his legal team (Baree Fett and Gabriel Harvis)

Johnny Hincapie and his legal team (Baree Fett and Gabriel Harvis)

Distinguished Professor Dr. Saul Kassin

Distinguished Professor Dr. Saul Kassin

Guest Name: Distinguished Professor Daniel Medwed email: [email protected] 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.

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.

George Croom email: [email protected] The Exonerated (cast member)  “The Exonerated” in Ridgefield, CT. He is also a director, voice teacher, music director of over 300 shows in the ti-state area. We will discuss his role in the play.

:: BETH YOUNG Email: [email protected] PHONE: (203)984-7589 WEBSITE: ridgefieldtheaterbarn.org Beth directed “The Exonerated”. She is native to CT, teaches theater arts to children, seniors and people behind bars. In addition to directing, she is an actor, playwright and a Registered Nurse. 

Professor Margaret Burnham teaches law at Northeastern University and is the founding director of the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project at Northeastern University School of Law. A civil rights lawyer, a defense attorney and a judge, she is the author of the new book:By Hands Not Known:Jim Crow’s Legal Executioners. Between 1920~1960 in the South there is a piece of history that is both forgotten and overlooked: 1,000 cases of racial violence and death. The stories in this riveting book are a call to recognize the horrific injustice which occurred.The book highlights a legal system which lacked justice for the victims and accountability for the offenders.

Professor Margaret Burnham teaches law at Northeastern University and is the founding director of the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project at Northeastern University School of Law. A civil rights lawyer, a defense attorney and a judge, she is the author of the new book:By Hands Not Known:Jim Crow’s Legal Executioners. Between 1920~1960 in the South there is a piece of history that is both forgotten and overlooked: 1,000 cases of racial violence and death. The stories in this riveting book are a call to recognize the horrific injustice which occurred. The book highlights a legal system which lacked justice for the victims and accountability for the offenders.

Listen to hear what you missed out on last year. Make sure you keep listening this year!

Seth has been Executive Director of Innocence Project of Florida since 2006. He was President of the worldwide Innocence Network, a consortium of innocence organizations in the US and abroad from 2014~2020. He graduated from Florida State University School of Law and teaches there as an adjunct professor. Under his leadership, 21 people have been released from prison. We will be discussing various cases from the last 2 years, the challenges posed by the pandemic, current issues surrounding wrongful convictions and what is ahead for I.P.F. in the future.

Seth has been Executive Director of Innocence Project of Florida since 2006. He was President of the worldwide Innocence Network, a consortium of innocence organizations in the US and abroad from 2014~2020. He graduated from Florida State University School of Law and teaches there as an adjunct professor. Under his leadership, 21 people have been released from prison. We will be discussing various cases from the last 2 years, the challenges posed by the pandemic, current issues surrounding wrongful convictions and what is ahead for I.P.F. in the future.

Seth has been Executive Director of Innocence Project of Florida since 2006. He was President of the worldwide Innocence Network, a consortium of innocence organizations in the US and abroad from 2014~2020. He graduated from Florida State University School of Law and teaches there as an adjunct professor. Under his leadership, 21 people have been released from prison. We will be discussing various cases from the last 2 years, the challenges posed by the pandemic, current issues surrounding wrongful convictions and what is ahead for I.P.F. in the future.

Seth has been Executive Director of Innocence Project of Florida since 2006. He was President of the worldwide Innocence Network, a consortium of innocence organizations in the US and abroad from 2014~2020. He graduated from Florida State University School of Law and teaches there as an adjunct professor. Under his leadership, 21 people have been released from prison. We will be discussing various cases from the last 2 years, the challenges posed by the pandemic, current issues surrounding wrongful convictions and what is ahead for I.P.F. in the future.

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. 

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.

Huwe Burton Spent 18 years in Prison from Age 16-34 for a crime he did not commit.

Huwe Burton Spent 18 years in Prison from Age 16-34 for a crime he did not commit.

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.