criminal justice reform

  • President Biden Grants Largest Single-Day Clemency in U.S. History, Includes Nearly 1,500 Commutations

    In a historic use of presidential clemency powers, President Joe Biden granted clemency to nearly 1,500 individuals on Thursday, marking the largest single-day exercise of such authority in modern U.S. history. The sweeping action includes approximately 1,500 sentence commutations for individuals moved to home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and 39 pardons for non-violent offenders…

  • The Sheldon Thomas Case: Man Spent 18 Years In Prison Because Of A Mugshot Of Another Man With The Same Name

    In a case that highlights the systemic flaws of the criminal justice system, Sheldon Thomas, a man wrongfully convicted for nearly two decades, was finally exonerated in 2023 after spending over 18 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. His conviction was based on a misidentification that stemmed from a photo of…

  • Missouri Supreme Court Blocks Deal to Spare Marcellus Williams from Execution Amidst Battle Over His Innocence

    The Missouri Supreme Court has halted an agreement that would have saved death row inmate Marcellus Williams from execution. Williams, who was convicted for the 1998 murder of Lisha Gayle, now faces a scheduled execution on Sept 24, 2024. The court’s decision came just hours after a St. Louis County judge approved a plea deal…

  • Chicago Man Sues City, Police Department After Being Convicted Based On Testimony From Blind Witness

    Darien Harris, a Chicago man whose murder conviction was overturned after serving 12 years in prison, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city and the police department. The lawsuit comes after a Cook County judge vacated Harris’s conviction upon discovering that a key witness, who testified against him, was legally blind. Harris…

  • Reprieve Report Reveals Racial Disparities in U.S. Lethal Injection Executions

    A recent report released by Reprieve has shed light on significant racial disparities in lethal injection executions in the United States, uncovering a disturbing trend of errors disproportionately affecting Black prisoners. Despite comprising only a third of those executed, Black prisoners account for half of the mishandled cases, according to the findings. The report highlights…

  • Ex-Con Turned Criminal Advocate Accused of Gruesome Murder

    Sheldon Johnson Jr., a prominent advocate for criminal justice reform and former convict, found himself at the center of a shocking murder investigation after New York police discovered the dismembered body of 44-year-old Colin Small in his apartment. Johnson, 48, was arrested amidst a flurry of media attention, maintaining his innocence as reporters gathered at…