New York Exoneree Starts Foundation to Help Wrongfully Convicted

Exonerated in 2006 after over 15 years of false imprisonment, Jeffrey Deskovic has recently launched the Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice, with money from his wrongful conviction settlement. The Journal-News reports:

“In addition to bringing about exonerations in DNA and non-DNA cases, seeking legislative changes to prevent wrongful convictions and raising awareness, we will also be seeking to help exonerees reintegrate back into society and assisting parolees make a transition to a crime-free life,” he said.

As a student at Peekskill High School in Westchester County, Deskovic was wrongfully convicted for the murder of a classmate. DNA evidence secured by the Innocence Project later proved Deskovic’s innocence and implicated the real perpetrator, a convicted killer.

 

The factors leading to Deskovic’s unjust conviction were carefully reviewed by Westchester District Attorney Janet DiFiore who recommended a number of wrongful conviction reforms, such as recording interrogations, in order to prevent similar injustice.

 

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Read Janet DiFiore’s report on the

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