Mary Sloan, KCADP Executive Director, ties a yellow ribbon around the Tree of Healing at the annual Commemoration Ceremony. Thank you to all of those who participated! Read more about the ceremony here. Photo and Story by Glenn Bartlett (Kansas First News) … [Read more...] about Commemoration Ceremony at the Tree of Healing
Kansas Voices
A Matter of Innocence – Kirk Bloodsworth Speaking Tour
Kirk Bloodsworth, Advocacy Director of Witness to Innocence and a death row exoneree, will speak on wrongful convictions and the death penalty here in Kansas (please see below for locations, dates, and times of each event). Mr. Bloodsworth was accused and convicted of a horrific crime: murdering and raping a nine year-old girl. The evidence used to convict him was … [Read more...] about A Matter of Innocence – Kirk Bloodsworth Speaking Tour
"The Disturbing Case of Eddie Lowery" Documentary to Air in December
"The Disturbing Case of Eddie Lowery " will air Friday, December 16, 2011 at 9pm (central time) on MSNBC. Eddie James Lowery was wrongfully convicted of the rape of an Ogden, KS woman in 1981 and spent ten years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. This MSNBC documentary tells the story of Lowery’s wrongful conviction, his difficult journey to justice … [Read more...] about "The Disturbing Case of Eddie Lowery" Documentary to Air in December
Lawrence Journal-World publishes in-depth account of Kansas felony exoneree
Kansas is not immune to the problems that other states face within the justice system. The first Kansan exonerated through DNA evidence after serving time in a Kansas prison granted an exclusive look into the challenges he has faced since being punished for a crime for which he was innocent. Of the more than 270 people in the United States exonerated by DNA … [Read more...] about Lawrence Journal-World publishes in-depth account of Kansas felony exoneree
The Darryl Hunt Project Reaches Lawrence
On Tuesday over 80 people, students and community members alike, gathered at the Ecumenical Campus Ministries at the University of Kansas to hear the heart wrenching story of Darryl Hunt, who was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1984. During the event, a documentary, “The Trials of Darryl Hunt,” was shown, explaining the series of legal errors and neglect which led to … [Read more...] about The Darryl Hunt Project Reaches Lawrence
Voices of Innocence
Innocent Lives in the Balance In a death penalty system, there is always a real and unacceptable risk of executing an innocent person. Since 1973, 152 people nationwide have been exonerated from death row because new evidence came to light after they were sentenced to die for crimes they did not commit. Even with the best intentions, police officers, lab technicians, … [Read more...] about Voices of Innocence
Voices of Innocence: Eddie Lowery
Eddie Lowery: A Kansas Wrongful Conviction In the early morning hours of July 26, 1981, an Ogden, Kansas woman was brutally raped in her home. Nearby that same night, Eddie Lowery, a 22 year-old soldier stationed at Fort Riley, was involved in a car accident. Because of his accident’s proximity to the location of the rape, Lowery was questioned by police about the … [Read more...] about Voices of Innocence: Eddie Lowery
Voices of Innocence: Juan Melendez
A Death Row Exoneration. Juan Melendez spent nearly 18 years on Florida’s death row for a crime he did not commit. Convicted of the brutal murder of Delbert Baker in 1984, Melendez was eventually exonerated in 2002. But how does an innocent man get convicted of murder? Barely able to understand English at the time of his arrest, Melendez unknowingly waived his … [Read more...] about Voices of Innocence: Juan Melendez
Voices of Innocence: Cameron Todd Willingham
Executed. Innocent. On December 23, 1991, Cameron Todd Willingham was at home with his three children. Willingham later recalled waking up to the cries of his 2 year-old daughter, and found his house filled with smoke and flames. Willingham remembered frantically trying to reach his daughters in their room, but he could not find them. During his search, his hair … [Read more...] about Voices of Innocence: Cameron Todd Willingham
Voices of Innocence: Ruben Cantu
An Execution and a Prosecutor’s Regret Ruben Cantu was 17 years old at the time Pedro Gomez was murdered and Juan Moreno was wounded. On November 8, 1984, both Gomez and Moreno were shot, but Moreno survived the attack with serious injuries. Moreno, who was not a legal citizen of the United States at the time, was pressured into … [Read more...] about Voices of Innocence: Ruben Cantu