Living Nightmare: Wrongfully Convicted In Prison
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Living Nightmare: Wrongfully Convicted In Prison

Far too many people are wrongfully convicted in America's prison system.

107
Living Nightmare: Wrongfully Convicted In Prison
Google Images

What would you do if you were behind bars serving prison time for a crime you did not commit? This has proven to be the case for 20,000 people in America who are falsely convicted. Did you know that there have been 825 known exonerations in the United States since 1989? This means there have been 825 people who were freed from prison because there was a flaw in their sentence or new evidence came up that determined the prisoner’s innocence. The average amount of time from incarceration to exoneration? 13 years.

This was the case for Lewis Fogle, who was charged with the murder of a 15 year-old girl in 1982. Lewis was exonerated 34 years later, after he was proven innocent because of a DNA test. Andre Hatchett is another man who was proven innocent, after spending 25 years in prison for a murder charge. While Andre was in prison, his mother, brother and son had died. These are precious times in a person’s life that they will never get back.

Damien Echols, one of the three boys referred to as the West Memphis Three, was also proven innocent during incarceration. He was charged with the murder of three 8 year-old boys in 1994 with the death sentence. Damien was released after new DNA evidence was brought up, spending a total of 18 years in prison. 10 of those were spent in solitary confinement and the rest was spent on Death Row. An eye opening movie made about the West Memphis Three’s case is "Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills" and a stimulating novel is "Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three." There have been many famous actors and musicians who support Damien’s innocence, including Johnny Depp, Natalie Maines, Marilyn Manson, Eddie Vedder, the members of Metallica and many more.

New evidence can occur at any time of a prisoner’s sentence: during incarceration, after death in prison or after being put to death by the death penalty.

Prison is a life changing experience. It can either ruin your entire life or let you see the light at the end of the tunnel. How can these people get their life back? They can’t. And there are both mentally and physically debilitating effects on these people’s lives that they will have to live with forever. There is no way for them to see real life human interaction in prison. They could forget how to act in public, forget how to trust, forget how to be social and forget how to open up to the people closest to them.

About one-third of the people exonerated after proving their innocence have not been compensated for the injustice they suffered and the time they spent incarcerated. We all know that life isn’t fair, and the most we can do is hope that luck is on our side and support those who have been falsely accused.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

57985
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37353
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959021
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

192443
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments