Katie Monroe at the podium with (left to right) Jennifer Thompson, Yolanda Littlejohn and Christy Sheppard
Our advocacy work to improve the criminal justice system has benefitted enormously from the expert voices of victims and their families who bear witness to the fact that nobody benefits from a wrongful conviction. However, I have found in talking to these individuals that speaking out about their experiences can also take a toll. To better understand how to work with crime victims and their families, I moderated a panel at the 2013 Innocence Network Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I invited three panelists to describe their experiences.
A bit of background first: the
Innocence Network
, an affiliation of over 60 organizations both national and international, has long had a Victims Committee, and in 2008 it issued a landmark statement about regard for victims and victims’ families in wrongful conviction cases. The Innocence Network worked closely with victims and victims’ organizations in the creation of
this statement
and followed it with a breakthrough conference panel on the issue.
Innocence Network
, an affiliation of over 60 organizations both national and international, has long had a Victims Committee, and in 2008 it issued a landmark statement about regard for victims and victims’ families in wrongful conviction cases. The Innocence Network worked closely with victims and victims’ organizations in the creation of
this statement
and followed it with a breakthrough conference panel on the issue.
Convened in April, our panel sought to continue the conversation. Jennifer Thompson, Yolanda Littlejohn and Christy Sheppard shared their experiences both from being involved in a wrongful conviction case and advocating for criminal justice reform. They described the unique hardship faced by crime victims and victims’ families in such cases and discussed steps that innocence organizations might be able to take to help them get much needed support during the exoneration process. Victims and their families suffer from the knowledge that a mistake was made and the real perpetrator not apprehended or punished, from having to relive the trauma of the original crime, and from losing faith in a system that they relied on to protect them and serve them justice. They also often feel lost and invisible when a claim of innocence is being pursued and won in court.
Jennifer Thompson is an advocate for judicial reform, the need to combat sexual violence, abolition of the death penalty, the fallibility of eyewitness testimony, and the healing power of forgiveness. Her strong convictions were born of a brutal rape she suffered as a 22-year-old college student. Her compelling testimony sent a young man to a life term in prison for a crime he did not commit. That man,
Ronald Cotton
, was eventually freed thanks in large part to his persistence in maintaining his innocence and to DNA testing, which eventually identified the true perpetrator. Jennifer credits Ronald with teaching her the healing power of forgiveness and grace. Together they co-authored a joint memoir,
Picking Cotton
, a New York Times best-seller, which recounts their journeys, the tragedy that brought them together, and their mutual conviction that such errors must be recognized, and that concrete reforms can lessen the probability of such mistakes.
Ronald Cotton
, was eventually freed thanks in large part to his persistence in maintaining his innocence and to DNA testing, which eventually identified the true perpetrator. Jennifer credits Ronald with teaching her the healing power of forgiveness and grace. Together they co-authored a joint memoir,
Picking Cotton
, a New York Times best-seller, which recounts their journeys, the tragedy that brought them together, and their mutual conviction that such errors must be recognized, and that concrete reforms can lessen the probability of such mistakes.
Yolanda Littlejohn’s sister, Jacquetta Thomas, was murdered in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1991. Two men were arrested for her murder. One was never convicted; the other, Greg Taylor, was tried, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison. In 2009, Taylor was exonerated and released from prison when DNA evidence proved that he could not have been the killer. The murder of Jacquetta Thomas is now a cold case – an unsolved homicide. Yolanda has been active in the effort to repeal her state’s death penalty and has spoken to groups of victims, telling her story and discussing the effects of exoneration on victims’ families. Yolanda is co-founder and the Director of Victims After Exoneration, a project of Murder Victims Families for Human Rights.
Christy Sheppard is a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in child and family therapy. Christy is also an advocate for victims’ issues and awareness in cases where there has been an exoneration. Christy’s cousin, Debra Sue Carter, was murdered in 1982. Two men,
Ron Williamson
and
Dennis Fritz
where convicted and then exonerated for this crime after spending 12 years in prison and on death row.
Ron Williamson
and
Dennis Fritz
where convicted and then exonerated for this crime after spending 12 years in prison and on death row.
Jennifer, Yolanda and Christy also addressed ways the Network might be able to assist crime victims and victims’ families in connecting with and providing support for each other during exonerations. Finally, they explored opportunities for crime victims and their families to help lead efforts to reform the criminal justice system and prevent wrongful convictions for the benefit of all. Collaborating with crime victims in our innocence work is profoundly important, and I applaud the Network for its leadership, sensitivity, and vision.
My name is Richard Dinkins from Mobile Alabama I was wrongfully convicted of domestic violence 3rd assault. The young lady that filled out the report admittedly admits to falsifying the report in going even further it Miss she is not the one that signed the report. She admits to lying about the situation to her and throw me in a bind. Admittedly is my fault we keep dealing with people they want to do me harm. I have other proof beyond that stating she is went out of her way to try to send me to prison. By false accusations and lies. My number is 251-458-4652 I’m serving a life sentence no different than a man in prison. Subjected to a life of hard labor. I cannot find a good job with 401k or any benefits Subway will not even give me a job I need your help email me at Ricky Dinkins 1962 at gmail.com I need some help. I took the plea in my best interest I did not realize it was stop me from Gaining work. I’m getting older and I need to find something pretty fast for me and my kids
A father of 4 sentenced to 136 years in prison due to police officers planting evidence in a home that wasn’t there. They completely violated his right to a fair trial. Not only did their dishonesty land him that kind of time but also took his children from him landing them in the system. He is in a Arkansas prison. We need help he didn’t deserve 136 years he didn’t murder anyone he didn’t harm a life. All we want is him a fair trial and justice for his Injustice.