Today is the 13th annual International Wrongful Conviction Day, a day intended to raise awareness of the causes and impacts of wrongful convictions, and elevate the stories – before, during, and after prison–of wrongfully convicted people. We are choosing to celebrate the day with a client art market hosted at our office.
On this Wrongful Conviction Day, we are in a moment that we have not faced before: three different clients are facing retrial after their original convictions were reversed. They are Raymond Laugand, Cheri Hayden, and Keith Ezidore. In each case, despite overwhelming evidence that someone else committed the crime, the state is pushing to send these innocent people back to prison. In the case of Elvis Brooks, the attorney general is trying to reverse his exoneration and ensure that he is rebranded with a wrongful conviction.
These cases are examples of the current war on innocence in Louisiana, and our clients are not the only targets. Jimmie “Chris” Duncan, who spent 27 years on death row, had his conviction overturned last year after it was discovered that evidence of his guilt had been fabricated. Rather than acknowledge this grave injustice and let Mr. Duncan live his life, the Ouachita Parish District Attorney is now trying to exhume the decedent child’s body in a desperate and macabre attempt to find evidence to link Mr. Duncan to a crime that never occurred. The evidence shows that two-year old Haley Oliveaux died in a tragic accident. Mr. Duncan is represented by Innocence Project and the Mwalimu Center for Justice.
Prosecutors are supposed to be truth-seekers, not defend convictions at any cost. But in our work we have seen more frequently that they refuse to accept that the wrong person was prosecuted, even in the face of proof this was the case. As a result, taxpayers pay for drawn-out and unnecessary court proceedings, families of the victim and the accused endure years of needless re-traumatization, and an innocent person’s life is held in the balance while the real perpetrator escapes accountability.
On Wrongful Conviction Day, we stand with innocent people in prison and those still fighting for full exoneration. We believe in their innocence. We know that the criminal legal system is fallible in ways that allow for horrific mistakes. That knowledge, and people like Raymond, Cheri, Keith, and Chris, are why we keep fighting.
IJLA’s 25th Anniversary Gala Recap & Photos
Huge thanks to everyone who joined us for the gala, donated, participated, and helped make the evening so meaningful. Your generosity and continued support make our work possible. And you looked great! You can view and download the gala photos here.
On the Sunday morning after our gala, the celebrations continued! We hosted a brunch at the office for clients and their families, sponsored by BCM and Entergy, and offering an opportunity to catch up in relaxed circumstances, compare notes on the evening, and share a meal. We love having this chance to connect and are looking forward to the next time we can all be together again.
IJLA In the Community
The IJLA legal team was in court in September, fighting for Daniel Prince’s exoneration in Acadia Parish. Nearly 20 years ago, he was convicted of murdering two women and burning the trailer they were killed in. The conviction relied on the testimony of a jailhouse snitch who claimed that Mr. Prince confessed to him. Over a three-day hearing last week, Mr. Prince’s legal team introduced testimony from 18 witnesses and thousands of pages of records into evidence. Law enforcement witnesses and the snitch’s own mother attested to the fact that he was a career conman. The evidence also showed that the initial suspect, a serial arsonist who had threatened one of the victims days before her death, had confessed to the crime. IJLA has been working on Mr. Prince’s case for 5 years. Last week’s hearing was a critical step in bringing him home.
Thanks to your generosity, IJLA was able to provide financial assistance to 10 exonerees across the state who are losing their compensation payments this year following Governor Landry’s veto of SB 125.
Through our GoFundMe campaign, we raised funds to help bridge the gap for these men. As our client Greg Bright shared, “This check came right on time. Now I can go and pay my bills.”
Without the veto, each of these men would have received $40,000 in compensation from the state this year.
We are grateful to everyone who contributed. While your generosity has provided much-needed relief, our fight continues to secure full compensation for people wrongfully convicted in Louisiana.
Recently our peer mentor Jerome Morgan spoke to a gathering of to Hope Dealers Prison Reform, a nonprofit organization focused on youth mentorship and justice reform. Jerome, a former educator, restorative justice specialist, and youth mentor, spoke to the assembled crowd about the injustices of Louisiana’s criminal legal system, which he has learned through personal and professional experience. Proceeds from the event benefited a family who lost their young son to gun violence.
Recently, staff attorney Elena Malik and peer mentor Jerome Morgan had a chance to speak about our work to the International Visitor Leadership Program delegation of legal professionals from Latin America. The group was eager to learn about the Louisiana legal system and how miscarriages of justice manifest here and to compare it to the legal systems they work in. We appreciated the opportunity share what we do with new friends from so far away!
Restore the Porch
If you’ve ever visited IJLA’s humble shotgun home, you may have noticed our well-patinaed porch. We have a beautiful new sign. Could you sponsor a beautiful new porch to go with it? We have a goal to raise $7500. Donations of all sizes are welcome! Any donation of $250 or more will be recognized in a display on the porch itself.
IJLA IN THE NEWS
- Greg Bright speaks with WWNO: Louisiana exonerees are still fighting for more compensation despite Gov. Landry’s veto
- Verite News: Elvis Brooks: Exonerated after 42 years in prison, he’s eligible for up to $480,000 as compensation. Louisiana’s AG says no.