Pursuing Justice

Nell Bernstein is an investigative journalist and author of 3 books. Her most recent book is In Our Future We Will Be Free. Nell is the recipient of a White House award given to her by President Obama (Champion of Change). The American Bar Association recognized her 2014 book, Burning Down the House by giving her their Silver Gavel Award. Nell focuses on juvenile justice and the effect of incarceration on children. She writes for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Newsday, Mother Jones, Salon and USA Today. Her first book is: All Alone In the World. To learn more about Nell, visit her website: https://www.nellbernstein.com/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Alexander McLean is C.E.O. and  founder of Justice Defenders. This organization trains incarcerated people and prison staff side by side as paralegals and lawyers to serve those denied justice in Kenya and Uganda. They have been able to secure a release for  72,000 people, trained 740 paralegals in addition to 67 people who earned a law degree from the University of London while in prison or as prison staff. McLean created this nonprofit in 2007 having graduated from the University of Nottingham as a Barrister that year. Alexander has been honored for his work by being recognized in TIME's 30 Under 30 Changing the World and on "The Power List". He was UK Young Philanthropist of the Year in 2007. Grinnell College awarded him the "Innovator for Social Justice Prize" in 2020.To learn more about Justice Defenders, visit www.justice-defenders.orgAlexander's TED Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sTBdU0SIJcThe Whole Story - https://youtu.be/NPVLb4SwQU460 Minutes - https://drive.google.com/drive/search?dmr=1&ec=wgc-drive-globalnav-goto&q=60%20minutes%20type:videoThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Alexander McLean is C.E.O. and  founder of Justice Defenders. This organization trains incarcerated people and prison staff side by side as paralegals and lawyers to serve those denied justice in Kenya and Uganda. They have been able to secure a release for  72,000 people, trained 740 paralegals in addition to 67 people who earned a law degree from the University of London while in prison or as prison staff. McLean created this nonprofit in 2007 having graduated from the University of Nottingham as a Barrister that year. Alexander has been honored for his work by being recognized in TIME's 30 Under 30 Changing the World and on "The Power List". He was UK Young Philanthropist of the Year in 2007. Grinnell College awarded him the "Innovator for Social Justice Prize" in 2020.To learn more about Justice Defenders, visit www.justice-defenders.orgAlexander's TED Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sTBdU0SIJcThe Whole Story - https://youtu.be/NPVLb4SwQU460 Minutes - https://drive.google.com/drive/search?dmr=1&ec=wgc-drive-globalnav-goto&q=60%20minutes%20type:videoThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

In 2009, Aswad Thomas was 26 years old and weeks away from going to Europe to play professional basketball. As he left a convenience store he was approached by two young men intent on robbing him and he suffered two near-fatal gunshot wounds to his back ending his basketball career. Today, Aswad is Vice President of the public safety organization Just Safe and the director of Crime Survivors Speak, a national network of over 200,000 crime victims across the country, particularly from communities hardest hit by crime and violence. At Crime Survivors Speak Aswad helps elevate the voices of crime victims in policy debates, which has helped pass legislation increasing crime prevention, rehabilitation and access to victim compensation and trauma recovery. Aswad has been featured in news stories across the country including the New Yorker "Black Wounds Matter, NPR: “Black Men Who Are Crime Victims Have Few Places to Turn”, and the Sacramento Bee: “California's crime survivors must speak out for smart justice”.Learn more about TimeDone at https://timedone.org/Learn more about JustSafe at https://justsafe.org/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Saad M. Soliman is the National Director of TimeDone at Just Safe, where he leads national policy advocacy and movement-building efforts on behalf of over 200,000 people with past convictions. A nationally recognized expert in reentry systems and public safety reform, he builds scalable, mission-driven initiatives that advance equity and public safety. Known as a serial entrepreneur, Soliman has founded and grown multiple ventures serving justice-impacted communities. His professional background includes roles with the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. District Courts, and the U.S. Probation Office in Delaware, and he currently advises the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the American Institutes for Research.. Appointed and reappointed to the Delaware Workforce Development Board by successive governors, he specializes in assisting people leaving the justice system with jobs, healthcare and housing to increase successful reentry at local, state, and national levels.Learn more about TimeDone at https://timedone.org/Learn more about JustSafe at https://justsafe.org/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Jasmin Harris is director of policy and development at The Innocence Center, the policy representative for the California Innocence Coalition and the Co-Chair of the Policy Committee of the Innocence Network Board. She began her work in the Innocence movement in 2014 after her brother was incarcerated for participating in a non-violent peaceful protest. Jasmin's work in the Coalition has resulted  in the passage of 11 groundbreaking laws dedicated to preventing wrongful convictions, guiding the path for the wrongfully incarcerated to reclaim their freedom, facilitating their successful reintegration into society.Learn more about The Innocence Center here.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Jasmin Harris is director of policy and development at The Innocence Center, the policy representative for the California Innocence Coalition and the Co-Chair of the Policy Committee of the Innocence Network Board. She began her work in the Innocence movement in 2014 after her brother was incarcerated for participating in a non-violent peaceful protest. Jasmin's work in the Coalition has resulted  in the passage of 11 groundbreaking laws dedicated to preventing wrongful convictions, guiding the path for the wrongfully incarcerated to reclaim their freedom, facilitating their successful reintegration into society.Learn more about The Innocence Center here.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Jody Kent Lavy is serving as a Stoneleigh Fellow with The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth. Her focus will  be to expand the use and availability of Restorative Justice practices in cases of serious harm involving young people. She founded CFSY in 2009 with an eye toward banning juvenile sentences of Life Without Parole, condemning children to die in prison. Prior to her time at CFSY, she worked with the National Prison Project of the ACLU in Washington, D.C. and the ACLU of Southern California. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications from Boston College and a Master's degree in Public Management from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy.Visit www.cfsy.org to learn more.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Jody Kent Lavy is serving as a Stoneleigh Fellow with The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth. Her focus will  be to expand the use and availability of Restorative Justice practices in cases of serious harm involving young people. She founded CFSY in 2009 with an eye toward banning juvenile sentences of Life Without Parole, condemning children to die in prison. Prior to her time at CFSY, she worked with the National Prison Project of the ACLU in Washington, D.C. and the ACLU of Southern California. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications from Boston College and a Master's degree in Public Management from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy.Visit www.cfsy.org to learn more.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Jamie Silvonek has been incarcerated since the age of 14. She is now 24 having pled guilty to plotting to kill her mother with her 21 year old boyfriend. She was sentenced to 35 years to Life. She was charged as an adult. The Juvenile Law Center has represented her since her conviction. A petition for commutation has been filed on her behalf to the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons. Jamie is a published author, a college  student and a dog handler with Canine Connection.To learn more about the Juvenile Law Center, visist https://jlc.org/Read the press release about Jamie’s commutation petition, which links to the commutation packet and the op-ed she published in the Morning Call. https://jlc.org/news/juvenile-law-center-files-commutation-petition-behalf-jamie-silvonekKids for Cash: https://jlc.org/luzerne-kids-cash-scandalJuvenile Life without Parole: https://jlc.org/issues/juvenile-life-without-paroleThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Riya is the C.E.O. of the Juvenile Law Center located in Philadelphia, PA. She leads litigation policy advocacy and amicus efforts to reduce the harm of the juvenile  and criminal legal system. She is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago School of Law where she was a Civitas Childlaw Fellow. At the University of Michigan, she earned her B.A. in Psychology and American Culture. Before attending law school, Riya was an elementary school teacher. Riya is Co-Chair of the Children's Rights Litigation Committee of the American Bar Association Section of Litigation.Jamie Silvonek has been incarcerated since the age of 14. She is now 24 having pled guilty to plotting to kill her mother with her 21 year old boyfriend. She was sentenced to 35 years to Life. She was charged as an adult. The Juvenile Law Center has represented her since her conviction. A petition for commutation has been filed on her behalf to the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons. Jamie is a published author, a college  student and a dog handler with Canine Connection.To learn more about the Juvenile Law Center, visist https://jlc.org/Read the press release about Jamie’s commutation petition, which links to the commutation packet and the op-ed she published in the Morning Call. https://jlc.org/news/juvenile-law-center-files-commutation-petition-behalf-jamie-silvonekKids for Cash: https://jlc.org/luzerne-kids-cash-scandalJuvenile Life without Parole: https://jlc.org/issues/juvenile-life-without-paroleThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

John J. Lennon is serving his twenty-fourth year behind bars, currently in Sing Sing Correctional Facility. His writing has appeared in The New York Review of Books, The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Esquire, and New York magazine. His work has been anthologized in the Best American Magazine Writing, and he’s twice been a finalist for the National Magazine Award, in feature writing and reviews and criticism. Lennon recently published his first book, The Tragedy of True Crime: Four Guilty Men and the Stories That Define Us, which was named a "best book of the year" by the New York Times and NPR. Lennon will be eligible for parole in 2029.To learn more about John, and to purchase his book, visit https://johnjlennon.net/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

John J. Lennon is serving his twenty-fourth year behind bars, currently in Sing Sing Correctional Facility. His writing has appeared in The New York Review of Books, The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Esquire, and New York magazine. His work has been anthologized in the Best American Magazine Writing, and he’s twice been a finalist for the National Magazine Award, in feature writing and reviews and criticism. Lennon recently published his first book, The Tragedy of True Crime: Four Guilty Men and the Stories That Define Us, which was named a "best book of the year" by the New York Times and NPR. Lennon will be eligible for parole in 2029.To learn more about John, and to purchase his book, visit https://johnjlennon.net/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Max Kenner is the founder and director of Bard Prison Initiative which he launched 25 years ago. At Bard College, he is Vice President  for Institutional Initiatives and advisor to the President on Public Policy and College Affairs. Currently, he sits on the New York State Council on Community Justice. His awards are many: JFK Presidential Library's  New Frontier Award and the Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award in Education. B.P.I.  has been featured on "60 Minutes", PBS News Hour, the New York Times Magazine, the Washington Post and the docuseries "College Behind Bars" by Ken Burns which was shown on PBS. This 4 part documentary is the inspiring, deeply human story of men and women struggling to earn college degrees while in prison for serious crimes.Elias Beltran graduated from B.P.I. in 2017 having been incarcerated for 29 1/2 years. He earned a  B.A. in Literature and the Humanities. He is now a PhD candidate at Cornell University. He has been a writing fellow with Bard's MicroCollege at the Brooklyn Public Library as well as at the Harlem Children's Zone and at Cornell for the English Language Support Organization (ELSO).  He continues studying Mandarin Chinese. He is also a T.A. at Cornell, teaching a class on Crime and Punishment. He was awarded a prize given to Teaching Assistants at Cornell. In the Fall of 2025, he will be teaching at  Albion Correctional Facility for Women, a prison in upstate New York. At the  age of 16, Elias was sentenced to 30 years-to-life.BPI on 60 Minutes: https://bpi.bard.edu/news-stories/news/bpi-on-60-minutes/Max Kenner with Deidre Faughey: https://bpi.bard.edu/news-stories/news/max-kenner-with-deirdre-faughey/Plus, you can find a lot more about BPI here: https://bpi.bard.edu/news-stories/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Max Kenner is the founder and director of Bard Prison Initiative which he launched 25 years ago. At Bard College, he is Vice President  for Institutional Initiatives and advisor to the President on Public Policy and College Affairs. Currently, he sits on the New York State Council on Community Justice. His awards are many: JFK Presidential Library's  New Frontier Award and the Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award in Education. B.P.I.  has been featured on "60 Minutes", PBS News Hour, the New York Times Magazine, the Washington Post and the docuseries "College Behind Bars" by Ken Burns which was shown on PBS. This 4 part documentary is the inspiring, deeply human story of men and women struggling to earn college degrees while in prison for serious crimes.Elias Beltran graduated from B.P.I. in 2017 having been incarcerated for 29 1/2 years. He earned a  B.A. in Literature and the Humanities. He is now a PhD candidate at Cornell University. He has been a writing fellow with Bard's MicroCollege at the Brooklyn Public Library as well as at the Harlem Children's Zone and at Cornell for the English Language Support Organization (ELSO).  He continues studying Mandarin Chinese. He is also a T.A. at Cornell, teaching a class on Crime and Punishment. He was awarded a prize given to Teaching Assistants at Cornell. In the Fall of 2025, he will be teaching at  Albion Correctional Facility for Women, a prison in upstate New York. At the  age of 16, Elias was sentenced to 30 years-to-life.BPI on 60 Minutes: https://bpi.bard.edu/news-stories/news/bpi-on-60-minutes/Max Kenner with Deidre Faughey: https://bpi.bard.edu/news-stories/news/max-kenner-with-deirdre-faughey/Plus, you can find a lot more about BPI here: https://bpi.bard.edu/news-stories/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Joan Dalton taught in the Portland, Oregon public schools and then became an administrator at Oregon's strictest juvenile correctional facility~MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility.  With experience and learning from experts in the field of the "Human Animal Bond", she founded an on-site program pairing boys and dogs to address the troubling behavior of both. In Second Chances, she shares the hurdles that led to positive outcomes for the boys and dogs in the program she calls : POOCH. The dogs found forever homes and the boys continued their education or found employment.To learn more about Joan Dalton and purchase Second Chances, visit https://joandalton.com/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

This episode is a re-run of a previously aired episode of Pursuing Justice, highlighting stories for Wrongful Conviction Day.C.J. Rice was born in 1993 in Philadelphia. At the age of 17, he was wrongfully convicted of a crime he did not commit. His sentence was 30-60 years. While in prison, he earned  his High School diploma in addition to being certified as a brick layer. He also was certified byOSHA. In 2023, he was released on bail after his Federal Habeas Corpus petition was granted by the Federal Court of theEastern District of Pennsylvania and his conviction was vacated. On March 18, 2024 he was exonerated and thePhiladelphia District Attorney's office dropped all charges.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.

Joan Dalton taught in the Portland, Oregon public schools and then became an administrator at Oregon's strictest juvenile correctional facility~MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility.  With experience and learning from experts in the field of the "Human Animal Bond", she founded an on-site program pairing boys and dogs to address the troubling behavior of both. In Second Chances, she shares the hurdles that led to positive outcomes for the boys and dogs in the program she calls : POOCH. The dogs found forever homes and the boys continued their education or found employment.To learn more about Joan Dalton and purchase Second Chances, visit https://joandalton.com/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

This episode is a re-run of a previously aired episode of Pursuing Justice, highlighting stories for Wrongful Conviction Day.Huwe Burton Spent 18 years in Prison from Age 16-34 for a crime he did not commit

Arrested in 1992 for a heinous crime he did not commit, Anthony Graves was sentenced to death at the age of 27 in Texas. He was incarcerated for 18 years. He was finally exonerated and released in 2010 and works tirelessly for change in our justice system. He created the Anthony Graves Foundation and is Director of Community Outreach for the Harris County Public Defender's  Office in addition to operating a  nonprofit called: Peer Navigation Project. His story was shown on "48 Hours" entitled: "Grave Injustice".Learn more about the Anthony's non-profit, Peer Navigator ProjectWatch 48 Hours' Grave InjusticeRead Pamela Colloff's articale in the Texas Monthly called Innocence LostThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

This episode is a re-run of a previously aired episode of Pursuing Justice, highlighting stories for Wrongful Conviction Day.Kristine Bunch spent 16 years in prison on a charge of arson, which killed her 3 year old son. She was proven innocent of these charges.She has a nonprofit organization called: Justice for Justus which helps people coming out of  prison.Justis4JustUs: an organization founded by Kristine to help exonerees transition back into society after prison.Women Exonerees: Stories of Wrongful ConvictionIndiana's New Compensation Statute; New Discoveries in Fire Science.

Arrested in 1992 for a heinous crime he did not commit, Anthony Graves was sentenced to death at the age of 27 in Texas. He was incarcerated for 18 years. He was finally exonerated and released in 2010 and works tirelessly for change in our justice system. He created the Anthony Graves Foundation and is Director of Community Outreach for the Harris County Public Defender's  Office in addition to operating a  nonprofit called: Peer Navigation Project. His story was shown on "48 Hours" entitled: "Grave Injustice".Learn more about the Anthony's non-profit, Peer Navigator ProjectWatch 48 Hours' Grave InjusticeRead Pamela Colloff's articale in the Texas Monthly called Innocence LostThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

This episode is a re-run of a previously aired episode of Pursuing Justice, highlighting stories for Wrongful Conviction Day.Barbara Bradley Hagerty is a N.Y. Times best selling author and contributing writer for The Atlantic. She was a correspondent for NPR as well where she covered the Justice Department and Religion. Her awards include: 2 Gracie Awards, National Headline Award and others. She wrote an investigative piece for The Atlantic on the case of Ben Spencer which led to her decision to write: Bringing Ben Home: A Murder, A Conviction and the Fight to Redeem American Justice published in August 2024.Buy Barbara's Book Bringing Ben Home Here.Read Barbara's Articles on The AtlanticVisit Barbara's WebsiteThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.

For more information, visit https://wrongfulconvictionday.org/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Jennifer Merrigan is a Stoneleigh Foundation Fellow who represents people facing a sentence of death or Life Without Parole {also known as Death by Incarceration}. As a lawyer for 20 years, her training is in capital mitigation. She is a former staff attorney and acting director of the Death Penalty Litigation Clinic, a nonprofit law firm in Kansas City, Missouri. She is also an adjunct professor at St. Louis University Law School and Washington University School of Law where she founded and teaches a death penalty clinical practicum.  Jennifer speaks at National Conferences on capital punishment and has written numerous articles on capital defense. She is the recipient of the "Atticus Finch Award" in Missouri for her advocacy work.Stephen Lazar works as a legal apprentice at Phillips Black Law Firm. He was formerly incarcerated, having been sentenced to Life Without Parole for a crime he did not commit. While incarcerated, he worked in the prison law library assisting fellow prisoners with their cases and became a certified legal reference aide by the state of Pennsylvania. He participated in many criminal justice think tanks as well as the Inside Out Program earning credits towards a degree in March 2023. He was fully exonerated and released after serving 16 years of his sentence.  He often speaks at colleges about the horrors of our justice system.Learn more about Phillips Black Law FirmLearn more about the Inside Out ProgramThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information. 

Jennifer Merrigan is a Stoneleigh Foundation Fellow who represents people facing a sentence of death or Life Without Parole {also known as Death by Incarceration}. As a lawyer for 20 years, her training is in capital mitigation. She is a former staff attorney and acting director of the Death Penalty Litigation Clinic, a nonprofit law firm in Kansas City, Missouri. She is also an adjunct professor at St. Louis University Law School and Washington University School of Law where she founded and teaches a death penalty clinical practicum.  Jennifer speaks at National Conferences on capital punishment and has written numerous articles on capital defense. She is the recipient of the "Atticus Finch Award" in Missouri for her advocacy work.Stephen Lazar works as a legal apprentice at Phillips Black Law Firm. He was formerly incarcerated, having been sentenced to Life Without Parole for a crime he did not commit. While incarcerated, he worked in the prison law library assisting fellow prisoners with their cases and became a certified legal reference aide by the state of Pennsylvania. He participated in many criminal justice think tanks as well as the Inside Out Program earning credits towards a degree in March 2023. He was fully exonerated and released after serving 16 years of his sentence.  He often speaks at colleges about the horrors of our justice system.Learn more about Phillips Black Law FirmLearn more about the Inside Out ProgramThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.   

At age 16, Eddie was arrested for murder. He was found guilty of  manslaughter and sentenced to 22 years in prison.He served 15 years, ten of which were spent in solitary. Released in 2006, he has dedicated his life to making positive changes in his community and in the wider world. He is part of The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, working as an advocate for those sentenced as children in our criminal justice system through ICAN (Incarcerated Children's Advocacy Network). He is a proud husband and father.Eddie discusses his memoir and the long lasting impact of being locked up as a child. Since 2006, he has devoted himself to mentoring, public speaking, making positive changes in the criminal justice system and speaking up for returning citizens.Click here to purchase Eddie's book Change Is Possible: I Never Gave Up.Change Is Possible MerchandiseFollow Eddie on InstagramConnect with Eddie on LinkedInEddie's most Recent Washington Post ArticleLearn more about the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth here.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.   

At age 16, Eddie was arrested for murder. He was found guilty of  manslaughter and sentenced to 22 years in prison.He served 15 years, ten of which were spent in solitary. Released in 2006, he has dedicated his life to making positive changes in his community and in the wider world. He is part of The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, working as an advocate for those sentenced as children in our criminal justice system through ICAN (Incarcerated Children's Advocacy Network). He is a proud husband and father.Eddie discusses his memoir and the long lasting impact of being locked up as a child. Since 2006, he has devoted himself to mentoring, public speaking, making positive changes in the criminal justice system and speaking up for returning citizens.Click here to purchase Eddie's book Change Is Possible: I Never Gave Up.Change Is Possible MerchandiseFollow Eddie on InstagramConnect with Eddie on LinkedInEddie's most Recent Washington Post ArticleLearn more about the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth here.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.   

Dario Pena knows how to play an incarcerated man in the movie "Sing Sing" (on HBO MAX) because he did 17 years at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. He was paroled 5 years ago, having earned both a B.S. from Mercy University and a Masters Degree in Professional Studies from New York Theological Seminary. He is employed at Columbia University as a recruitment and community partnerships manager at The Center For Justice. He helped found a nonprofit called "Voices From Within Project" while he was doing time at Sing Sing. The project creates an opportunity to hear offenders share their stories in order to help young people think about the consequences of their actions. This is done in a multimedia format where just the offender is speaking from the heart.Watch the trailer for Sing Sing here.Watch Dario's clip for Voices from Within here.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.   

Dario Pena knows how to play an incarcerated man in the movie "Sing Sing" (on HBO MAX) because he did 17 years at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. He was paroled 5 years ago, having earned both a B.S. from Mercy University and a Masters Degree in Professional Studies from New York Theological Seminary. He is employed at Columbia University as a recruitment and community partnerships manager at The Center For Justice.  He helped found a nonprofit called "Voices From Within Project" while he was doing time at Sing Sing. The project creates an opportunity to hear offenders share their stories in order to help young people think about the consequences of their actions. This is done in a multimedia format where just the offender is speaking from the heart.Watch the trailer for Sing Sing here.Watch Dario's clip for Voices from Within here.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.   

Ellie Williams is an attorney who represents survivors of domestic violence whose convictions are connected to their abuse and women with wrongful conviction claims. She is a seasoned speaker and trainer using her skills to train professionals and community members across the U.S. on domestic violence. She graduated cum laude from both Furman University and the University of Georgia School of Law. Among several honors, she was inducted into the University of Georgia's chapter of the Blue Key Honor Society.See below to learn more about Ellie Williams!Read her article published in the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative LawLearn more about the Georgia Survivor Justice Act bill here.View the Georgia Domestic Violence Benchbook here.Listen to Ellie discuss the new bill and criminalized survivors on the Until They're Free podcastCheck out their Survivor Storytelling Series here.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.   

Ellie Williams is an attorney who represents survivors of domestic violence whose convictions are connected to their abuse and women with wrongful conviction claims. She is a seasoned speaker and trainer using her skills to train professionals and community members across the U.S. on domestic violence. She graduated cum laude from both Furman University and the University of Georgia School of Law. Among several honors, she was inducted into the University of Georgia's chapter of the Blue Key Honor Society.See below to learn more about Ellie Williams!Read her article published in the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative LawLearn more about the Georgia Survivor Justice Act bill here.View the Georgia Domestic Violence Benchbook here.Listen to Ellie discuss the new bill and criminalized survivors on the Until They're Free podcastCheck out their Survivor Storytelling Series here.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.   

Delia Cohen worked inside the Clinton White House running the messaging department. She organized global initiatives during both of President Clinton's two terms. For the last 10 years, she  has organized TEDx events in prisons all over the U.S. These talks bring the entire community together: incarcerated people, corrections officers, prison administrators and community members.For more information about Proximity for Justice, Visit Delia's Website here.How I Learned to Read - And Trade Stocks - In Prison | Curtis "Wall Street" CarrollThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.   

Delia Cohen worked inside the Clinton White House running the messaging department. She organized global initiatives during both of President Clinton's two terms. For the last 10 years, she  has organized TEDx events in prisons all over the U.S. These talks bring the entire community together: incarcerated people, corrections officers, prison administrators and community members. For more information about Proximity for Justice, Visit Delia's Website here. How I Learned to Read - And Trade Stocks - In Prison | Curtis "Wall Street" CarrollThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.   

Raised in the Virginia suburbs of Washington D.C., Craig is a former Marine Corps Veteran, recipient of The Purple Heart who served in Afghanistan. He is the author of two books, Craig and Fred  and Second Chances. He is a graduate of Georgetown University. Since his return to the States in 2011, he has been on the Today Show and many other programs. He travels all around the country  speaking about Fred, the little stray dog whom he smuggled out of Sangin, Afghanistan when his tour of duty ended, sharing his message of stubborn positivity and second chances.Buy Second Chances here.Buy Craig & Fred here.Listen to the Stubbornly Positive Podcast here.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.      

Raised in the Virginia suburbs of Washington D.C., Craig is a former Marine Corps Veteran, recipient of The Purple Heart who served in Afghanistan. He is the author of two books, Craig and Fred  and Second Chances. He is a graduate of Georgetown University. Since his return to the States in 2011, he has been on the Today Show and many other programs. He travels all around the country  speaking about Fred, the little stray dog whom he smuggled out of Sangin, Afghanistan when his tour of duty ended, sharing his message of stubborn positivity and second chances.Buy Second Chances here.Buy Craig & Fred here.Listen to the Stubbornly Positive Podcast here.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.      

Candido went to prison in 1990 for drug trafficking. Over 26 years in Federal Prisons, he cooked for 1500-2500 men. He never expected to see freedom as his sentence was 49 years. In 2016 he was granted clemency  by President Obama. Helped by NJ REENTRY CORPS. He now has his own restaurant, which opened in December 2017 in Jersey City.Read about Candido's restaurant in this NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/21/nyregion/a-chef-opens-a-restaurant-his-training-decades-in-a-prison-kitchen.htmlAnd be sure to visit Candido's restaurant, El Sabor Del Cafe in Jersey City!To learn more about the New Jersey Reentry Corporation, visit their website at http://njreentry.org/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.      

Rev. Flores was born in the Dominican Republic and came to the U.S. in 2001. He is a graduate of NY Theological Seminary and now heads N.J. Reentry Corporation, which he founded in 2016. The organization serves anyone living in NJ with a criminal background. It has helped 22,000 people who were incarcerated get jobs, obtain training for new jobs,get health care, food stamps, etc.To learn more about the New Jersey Reentry Corporation, visit their website at http://njreentry.org/Also check out this uplifting article: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/21/nyregion/a-chef-opens-a-restaurant-his-training-decades-in-a-prison-kitchen.htmlThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.      

To find out more about Raphah Institute, please visit their website: https://linktr.ee/raphah_instituteTravis Claybrooks is founder and CEO of Raphah Institute, a nonprofit which helps marginalized communities access essential resources like housing, healthcare, education and economic support. "Raphah" means "to heal". Travis holds a Master of Divinity from Liberty University and is pursuing a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership. He was a police officer in Nashville, TN, is a U.S. Army Veteran and a Restorative Justice Practitioner. He specializes in offering alternatives to prosecution and incarceration for personal violence cases.He is expanding Raphah Institute's Restorative Justice Diversion Initiative with the Memphis/Shelby City, Tennessee District Attorney and community organizations.Judge Sheila Callowayis from Kentucky and is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. She earned a Juris Doctorate in 1994 after which she worked as a Public Defender. She then became a Juvenile Court Magistrate from 2004-2013, running for Juvenile Court Judge and winning in 2014. She was reelected in 2022. In addition to her role as a  judge, she teaches Trial Advocacy at Vanderbilt University Law School. She is also Vice President of the Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.Marshall Goldberg is a lawyer and writer. He graduated with honors from Harvard. He clerked for Judge  Robert Peckham of the U.S. District Court in San Francisco.  He has litigated civil rights cases. He moved to Los Angeles in 1979 where he wrote and produced shows such as "The Jeffersons", "Different Strokes", "Newhart" and "L.A. Law". He was Deputy Executive Director for the Writers Guild of America's  11,000 members, becoming a finalist for both the Humanitas Prize and the Writers Guild Award. He taught screenwriting at the University of Southern California film school. He completed a six-part documentary series for MAX called: "Justice USA", beginning work on                          it in 2013. His goal was to put the audience in the shoes of indigent criminal defendants. It was filmed in Nashville and aired on MAX beginning in March of 2024. He is currently working on his next novel and a documentary on voter suppression.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.         

To find out more about Raphah Institute, please visit their website: https://linktr.ee/raphah_instituteTravis Claybrooks is founder and CEO of Raphah Institute, a nonprofit which helps marginalized communities access essential resources like housing, healthcare, education and economic support. "Raphah" means "to heal". Travis holds a Master of Divinity from Liberty University and is pursuing a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership. He was a police officer in Nashville, TN, is a U.S. Army Veteran and a Restorative Justice Practitioner. He specializes in offering alternatives to prosecution and incarceration for personal violence cases.He is expanding Raphah Institute's Restorative Justice Diversion Initiative with the Memphis/Shelby City, Tennessee District Attorney and community organizations.Judge Sheila Callowayis from Kentucky and is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. She earned a Juris Doctorate in 1994 after which she worked as a Public Defender. She then became a Juvenile Court Magistrate from 2004-2013, running for Juvenile Court Judge and winning in 2014. She was reelected in 2022. In addition to her role as a  judge, she teaches Trial Advocacy at Vanderbilt University Law School. She is also Vice President of the Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.Marshall Goldberg is a lawyer and writer. He graduated with honors from Harvard. He clerked for Judge  Robert Peckham of the U.S. District Court in San Francisco.  He has litigated civil rights cases. He moved to Los Angeles in 1979 where he wrote and produced shows such as "The Jeffersons", "Different Strokes", "Newhart" and "L.A. Law". He was Deputy Executive Director for the Writers Guild of America's  11,000 members, becoming a finalist for both the Humanitas Prize and the Writers Guild Award. He taught screenwriting at the University of Southern California film school. He completed a six-part documentary series for MAX called: "Justice USA", beginning work on                          it in 2013. His goal was to put the audience in the shoes of indigent criminal defendants. It was filmed in Nashville and aired on MAX beginning in March of 2024. He is currently working on his next novel and a documentary on voter suppression. This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.         

C.J. Rice was born in 1993 in Philadelphia. At the age of 17, he was wrongfully convicted of a crime he did not commit. His sentence was 30-60 years. While in prison, he earned  his High School diploma in addition to being certified as a brick layer. He also was certified byOSHA. In 2023, he was released on bail after his Federal Habeas Corpus petition was granted by the Federal Court of theEastern District of Pennsylvania and his conviction was vacated. On March 18, 2024 he was exonerated and thePhiladelphia District Attorney's office dropped all charges.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.

C.J. Rice was born in 1993 in Philadelphia. At the age of 17, he was wrongfully convicted of a crime he did not commit. His sentence was 30-60 years. While in prison, he earned  his High School diploma in addition to being certified as a brick layer. He also was certified byOSHA. In 2023, he was released on bail after his Federal Habeas Corpus petition was granted by the Federal Court of theEastern District of Pennsylvania and his conviction was vacated. On March 18, 2024 he was exonerated and thePhiladelphia District Attorney's office dropped all charges.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.

Research shows that although 90% of those incarcerated are eventually released, most people will have little to no access to rehabilitative and reentry services.People with arrest records often return to their communities without the resources and support needed to successfully reintegrate into society. Additionally, in the United States, those with behavioral health conditions are 10 times more likely to end up imprisoned than in the care of a mental health services provider.The result?Ongoing cycles of re-arrest and an unprecedented number of people in jails and prisons who are not receiving the care they need to address addiction and mental health conditions. Today, Harriet chats with Marq Mitchell and Miko Atkinson to learn more about Chainless Change and how they're offering resources to returning citizens.Marq Mitchell was incarcerated for 7 years as a juvenile and an adult. After his release, he began working with his Ft. Lauderdale community to support returning citizens coming home after spending time in prison where he connected people with job opportunities and apartments to rent. He realized more avenues of support were needed so in 2019, he founded "Chainless Change" aided by a grant from ACLU of Florida. The nonprofit offers resources to help those with a history of addiction, mental health conditions or trauma recover from contact with the criminallegal system.Miko Atkinson: Two years in federal prison changed my life forever. Taken away from my family and sent to Texas, I endured one of the most challenging chapters of my life. However, it was not the end of my story; it was a turning point.After regaining my freedom, I discovered my true purpose and built a new family with my loving wife and our three amazing children. The second chance I received through Chainless Change provided me with the tools and opportunities to transform my life. It ignited a spark within me, empowering me to reclaim my power and live with purpose. Today, I am living proof that redemption and resilience can lead to a brighter future.To learn more about Chainless Change, visist https://ccifl.org/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.

Research shows that although 90% of those incarcerated are eventually released, most people will have little to no access to rehabilitative and reentry services.People with arrest records often return to their communities without the resources and support needed to successfully reintegrate into society. Additionally, in the United States, those with behavioral health conditions are 10 times more likely to end up imprisoned than in the care of a mental health services provider.The result?Ongoing cycles of re-arrest and an unprecedented number of people in jails and prisons who are not receiving the care they need to address addiction and mental health conditions. Today, Harriet chats with Marq Mitchell and Miko Atkinson to learn more about Chainless Change and how they're offering resources to returning citizens.Marq Mitchell was incarcerated for 7 years as a juvenile and an adult. After his release, he began working with his Ft. Lauderdale community to support returning citizens coming home after spending time in prison where he connected people with job opportunities and apartments to rent. He realized more avenues of support were needed so in 2019, he founded "Chainless Change" aided by a grant from ACLU of Florida. The nonprofit offers resources to help those with a history of addiction, mental health conditions or trauma recover from contact with the criminallegal system.Miko Atkinson: Two years in federal prison changed my life forever. Taken away from my family and sent to Texas, I endured one of the most challenging chapters of my life. However, it was not the end of my story; it was a turning point.After regaining my freedom, I discovered my true purpose and built a new family with my loving wife and our three amazing children. The second chance I received through Chainless Change provided me with the tools and opportunities to transform my life. It ignited a spark within me, empowering me to reclaim my power and live with purpose. Today, I am living proof that redemption and resilience can lead to a brighter future.To learn more about Chainless Change, visist https://ccifl.org/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.

Julian Sher is one of Canada's best known investigative journalists and the author of 8 books. For 20 years, he worked for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's show "The Fifth Estate", Canada's premier investigative TV program, similar to "60 Minutes". Sher was also a reporter for Canada's two leading newspapers: The Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail. He is the author of Until You Are Dead: The Wrongful Conviction of Steven Truscott about Canada's most famous murder trial. His TV documentary and the book on this case helped lead to an official re-opening of a decades old case and the clearing of Steven Truscott's name.Learn more about Julian SherPurchase Until You Are Dead: The Wrongful Conviction of Steven TruscottThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.

Julian Sher is one of Canada's best known investigative journalists and the author of 8 books. For 20 years, he worked for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's show "The Fifth Estate", Canada's premier investigative TV program, similar to "60 Minutes". Sher was also a reporter for Canada's two leading newspapers: The Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail. He is the author of Until You Are Dead: The Wrongful Conviction of Steven Truscott about Canada's most famous murder trial. His TV documentary and the book on this case helped lead to an official re-opening of a decades old case and the clearing of Steven Truscott's name.Learn more about Julian SherPurchase Until You Are Dead: The Wrongful Conviction of Steven TruscottThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.

Barbara Bradley Hagerty is a N.Y. Times best selling author and contributing writer for The Atlantic. She was a correspondent for NPR as well where she covered the Justice Department and Religion. Her awards include: 2 Gracie Awards, National Headline Award and others. She wrote an investigative piece for The Atlantic on the case of Ben Spencer which led to her decision to write: Bringing Ben Home: A Murder, A Conviction and the Fight to Redeem American Justice published in August 2024.Buy Barbara's Book Bringing Ben Home Here.Read Barbara's Articles on The AtlanticVisit Barbara's WebsiteThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.

Barbara Bradley Hagerty is a N.Y. Times best selling author and contributing writer for The Atlantic. She was a correspondent for NPR as well where she covered the Justice Department and Religion. Her awards include: 2 Gracie Awards, National Headline Award and others. She wrote an investigative piece for The Atlantic on the case of Ben Spencer which led to her decision to write: Bringing Ben Home: A Murder, A Conviction and the Fight to Redeem American Justice published in August 2024.Buy Barbara's Book Bringing Ben Home Here.Read Barbara's Articles on The AtlanticVisit Barbara's WebsiteThis podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.

Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) was founded in 1995 in order to offer incarcerated men and women a new sense of what was possible by expressing themselves through the creative arts: drawing, dancing, acting. The opportunity to immerse themselves in the creative process proved that change is possible.Our guest today, Charles Moore, is the first RTA (Rehabilitation Through the Arts)alumni to be hired to work full time for the organization. He is currently the Director of Program and Operations, oversees program planning and management in all the facilities where RTA operates. He also audits workshops, coordinates alumni projects and manages the organization's steering committee. Charles has a Bachelors Degree in human services from Mercy University and a Masters in Professional Studies from New York Theological Seminary. He was incarcerated in Sing Sing for 12 years and spent 5 years at Woodbourne Correctional Facility in upstate NY.To learn more about Rehabilitation Through the Arts, visit their website.You can also donate to RTA here.Watch the official Sing Sing trailer here.View the CBC segment discussing Sing Sing here.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.

Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) was founded in 1995 in order to offer incarcerated men and women a new sense of what was possible by expressing themselves through the creative arts: drawing, dancing, acting. The opportunity to immerse themselves in the creative process proved that change is possible.Our guest today, Charles Moore, is the first RTA (Rehabilitation Through the Arts)alumni to be hired to work full time for the organization. He is currently the Director of Program and Operations, oversees program planning and management in all the facilities where RTA operates. He also audits workshops, coordinates alumni projects and manages the organization's steering committee. Charles has a Bachelors Degree in human services from Mercy University and a Masters in Professional Studies from New York Theological Seminary. He was incarcerated in Sing Sing for 12 years and spent 5 years at Woodbourne Correctional Facility in upstate NY.To learn more about Rehabilitation Through the Arts, visit their website.You can also donate to RTA here.Watch the official Sing Sing trailer here.View the CBC segment discussing Sing Sing here.This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit www.floridainnocence.org for more information.