Pursuing Justice

Jhody Polk spent 8 years  in Florida prisons for burglary, arson and grand theft. While she did her time, she became fascinated by the law and ultimately earned the title of Law Clerk. She has an Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies. She won a Soros Justice Fellowship in 2018 allowing her to launch Jailhouse Lawyers Initiative. JLI is a national project that supports incarcerated people who teac...

In honor of International Wrongful Conviction Day which was October 2, Harriet will read a piece by John Grisham written as the introduction to a recently published book called Champions of Justice: Inside The Fight Against Wrongful Convictions edited by Dr. Saul Kassin. The book highlights exonerees, lawyers, forensic scientists, journalists and authors: all part of the worldwide Innocence Networ...

Marty Tankleff was arrested at age 17 for the double murder of his adoptive parents~a crime he didn't commit (and which is still unsolved over 30 years later). He was sentenced to 50 years to Life. He served 17 years of that sentence and after exoneration, he graduated from college and law school and is now a practicing lawyer. His story was shown on "48 Hours" in 2008 titled: "Fight for the Truth...

Marty Tankleff was arrested at age 17 for the double murder of his adoptive parents~a crime he didn't commit (and which is still unsolved over 30 years later). He was sentenced to 50 years to Life. He served 17 years of that sentence and after exoneration, he graduated from college and law school and is now a practicing lawyer. His story was shown on "48 Hours" in 2008 titled: "Fight for the Truth...

On this episode of Pursuing Justice, we're joined by Professor Henry, who will talk about the many cases of wrongful conviction where innocent people were convicted of crimes that simply never happened. She exposes a deeply flawed criminal justice system that allows-even encourages-these no-crime wrongful convictions to regularly occur. Jessica Henry is an author, commentator, blogger and social j...

On this episode of Pursuing Justice, we're joined by Professor Henry, who will talk about the many cases of wrongful conviction where innocent people were convicted of crimes that simply never happened. She exposes a deeply flawed criminal justice system that allows-even encourages-these no-crime wrongful convictions to regularly occur. Jessica Henry is an author, commentator, blogger and social j...

Alexander McLean is C.E.O. and  founder of Justice Defenders. This organization trains incarcerated people and prison staff side by side as paralegals and lawyers to serve those denied justice in Kenya and Uganda. They have been able to secure a release for  72,000 people, trained 740 paralegals in addition to 67 people who earned a law degree from the University of London while in prison or as pr...

Alexander McLean is C.E.O. and  founder of Justice Defenders. This organization trains incarcerated people and prison staff side by side as paralegals and lawyers to serve those denied justice in Kenya and Uganda. They have been able to secure a release for  72,000 people, trained 740 paralegals in addition to 67 people who earned a law degree from the University of London while in prison or as pr...

John J. Lennon is serving his twenty-fourth year behind bars, currently in Sing Sing Correctional Facility. His writing has appeared in The New York Review of Books, The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Esquire, and New York magazine. His work has been anthologized in the Best American Magazine Writing, and he’s twice been a finalist for the National Magazine Award, in featur...

John J. Lennon is serving his twenty-fourth year behind bars, currently in Sing Sing Correctional Facility. His writing has appeared in The New York Review of Books, The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Esquire, and New York magazine. His work has been anthologized in the Best American Magazine Writing, and he’s twice been a finalist for the National Magazine Award, in featur...

Quentin Lewis has been incarcerated since he was 16. He's now 45 and an inmate at Wende Correctional Facility in upstate NY. He earned his G.E.D. and an Associates Degree in prison. He's been fighting a wrongful conviction since 2001. Students at Cardozo School of Law and Yeshiva are assisting with his case. Quentin is certified as law clerk in the prison system. Read his article in the New York T...

Quentin Lewis has been incarcerated since he was 16. He's now 45 and an inmate at Wende Correctional Facility in upstate NY. He earned his G.E.D. and an Associates Degree in prison. He's been fighting a wrongful conviction since 2001. Students at Cardozo School of Law and Yeshiva are assisting with his case. Quentin is certified as law clerk in the prison system. Read his article in the New York T...

Quentin Lewis has been incarcerated since he was 16. He's now 45 and an inmate at Wende Correctional Facility in upstate NY. He earned his G.E.D. and an Associates Degree in prison. He's been fighting a wrongful conviction since 2001. Students at Cardozo School of Law and Yeshiva are assisting with his case. Quentin is certified as law clerk in the prison system. Read his article in the New York T...

Quentin Lewis has been incarcerated since he was 16. He's now 45 and an inmate at Wende Correctional Facility in upstate NY. He earned his G.E.D. and an Associates Degree in prison. He's been fighting a wrongful conviction since 2001. Students at Cardozo School of Law and Yeshiva are assisting with his case. Quentin is certified as law clerk in the prison system. Read his article in the New York T...

Nell Bernstein is an investigative journalist and author of 3 books. Her most recent book is In Our Future We Will Be Free. Nell is the recipient of a White House award given to her by President Obama (Champion of Change). The American Bar Association recognized her 2014 book, Burning Down the House by giving her their Silver Gavel Award. Nell focuses on juvenile justice and the effect of incarcer...

Nell Bernstein is an investigative journalist and author of 3 books. Her most recent book is In Our Future We Will Be Free. Nell is the recipient of a White House award given to her by President Obama (Champion of Change). The American Bar Association recognized her 2014 book, Burning Down the House by giving her their Silver Gavel Award. Nell focuses on juvenile justice and the effect of incarcer...

Alexander McLean is C.E.O. and  founder of Justice Defenders. This organization trains incarcerated people and prison staff side by side as paralegals and lawyers to serve those denied justice in Kenya and Uganda. They have been able to secure a release for  72,000 people, trained 740 paralegals in addition to 67 people who earned a law degree from the University of London while in prison or as pr...

Alexander McLean is C.E.O. and  founder of Justice Defenders. This organization trains incarcerated people and prison staff side by side as paralegals and lawyers to serve those denied justice in Kenya and Uganda. They have been able to secure a release for  72,000 people, trained 740 paralegals in addition to 67 people who earned a law degree from the University of London while in prison or as pr...

In 2009, Aswad Thomas was 26 years old and weeks away from going to Europe to play professional basketball. As he left a convenience store he was approached by two young men intent on robbing him and he suffered two near-fatal gunshot wounds to his back ending his basketball career. Today, Aswad is Vice President of the public safety organization Just Safe and the director of Crime Survivors Speak...

Saad M. Soliman is the National Director of TimeDone at Just Safe, where he leads national policy advocacy and movement-building efforts on behalf of over 200,000 people with past convictions. A nationally recognized expert in reentry systems and public safety reform, he builds scalable, mission-driven initiatives that advance equity and public safety. Known as a serial entrepreneur, Soliman has f...

Jasmin Harris is director of policy and development at The Innocence Center, the policy representative for the California Innocence Coalition and the Co-Chair of the Policy Committee of the Innocence Network Board. She began her work in the Innocence movement in 2014 after her brother was incarcerated for participating in a non-violent peaceful protest. Jasmin's work in the Coalition has resulted ...

Jasmin Harris is director of policy and development at The Innocence Center, the policy representative for the California Innocence Coalition and the Co-Chair of the Policy Committee of the Innocence Network Board. She began her work in the Innocence movement in 2014 after her brother was incarcerated for participating in a non-violent peaceful protest. Jasmin's work in the Coalition has resulted ...

Jody Kent Lavy is serving as a Stoneleigh Fellow with The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth. Her focus will  be to expand the use and availability of Restorative Justice practices in cases of serious harm involving young people. She founded CFSY in 2009 with an eye toward banning juvenile sentences of Life Without Parole, condemning children to die in prison. Prior to her time at CFSY, she...

Jody Kent Lavy is serving as a Stoneleigh Fellow with The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth. Her focus will  be to expand the use and availability of Restorative Justice practices in cases of serious harm involving young people. She founded CFSY in 2009 with an eye toward banning juvenile sentences of Life Without Parole, condemning children to die in prison. Prior to her time at CFSY, she...

Jamie Silvonek has been incarcerated since the age of 14. She is now 24 having pled guilty to plotting to kill her mother with her 21 year old boyfriend. She was sentenced to 35 years to Life. She was charged as an adult. The Juvenile Law Center has represented her since her conviction. A petition for commutation has been filed on her behalf to the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons. Jamie is a publish...