We’ve all seen those headlines too often: “Unarmed Person of Color Shot” or “After Decades, Man Freed From Prison for a Crime He Didn’t Commit.” These stories have become so commonplace that we almost anticipate them. Our judicial system frequently opts for superficial remedies rather than genuine reform, choosing to arrest, convict, and imprison innocent individuals, particularly people of color.
Take the case of Marcus Williams, sentenced to death at just 19 alongside his younger brother, Ethan, who was only 15. They spent 31 years behind bars for a crime they didn’t commit, only to be exonerated in 2014. This month, they were awarded $1 million for every year spent imprisoned, along with an additional $13 million in punitive damages, totaling a staggering $75 million — the largest settlement in state history.
However, here’s the crux of the issue: no amount of money can restore a lost life, just as finding the murderer cannot bring back the victim. Financial compensation is merely a Band-Aid over a far more significant wound.
Marcus and Ethan were wrongfully convicted of the 1983 rape and murder of a young girl named Lucy Greene. The brutality of the crime understandably led to a rush to justice. Lucy, just 11 years old, was found in a field near her home. The perpetrator, who assaulted and killed her, was actually identified through a cigarette butt found at the crime scene — DNA evidence later linked it to the real offender, Tom Harris, who lived nearby.
Similar to the infamous case of the Central Park Five, the only evidence against Marcus and Ethan were confessions obtained under duress. They were teenagers at the time and quickly recanted their statements, claiming coercion. A local news report detailed their conviction: “The brothers had no physical connection to the crime scene but signed confessions shortly after Lucy’s body was discovered. After several retrials in the following decades, new evidence was finally revealed.”
This is where the pressing need for reform begins — at the very first step following a crime. A late 2020 study by the National Registry of Exonerations revealed that over half of wrongfully convicted individuals faced convictions due to misconduct by law enforcement. Alarmingly, these wrongful convictions disproportionately affected people of color, with Black individuals accused of murder being 50% more likely to be innocent than their white counterparts.
“It’s a regular issue,” noted Samuel R. Gross, a law professor, regarding misconduct in the justice system. He emphasized that due to the lack of a central database for court statistics, many cases of misconduct go unrecorded, implying that the issue is likely more widespread than documented.
Organizations like the Innocence Project are dedicated to exonerating the wrongfully convicted through DNA testing, while also advocating for awareness around the long-term impacts of wrongful imprisonment. As someone whose family has experienced incarceration firsthand, I understand that the trauma doesn’t simply fade upon release.
The Innocence Project highlights, “After years spent away from family, friends, and the chance to rebuild a life, the nightmare persists even after exoneration. With insufficient resources, housing, and support, the consequences of wrongful conviction remain long after innocence is established.” When individuals leave prison, they often find it nearly impossible to reclaim the life they lost — especially when their imprisonment was based on false accusations.
It seems logical that our justice system would prioritize accuracy in convictions and uphold individuals’ rights to fair trials. Yet, far too often, individuals of color are wrongfully targeted, leading to devastating repercussions.
Recently, Jordan Lee was appointed the new head of the Civil Rights division in the Department of Justice, making history as the first Black woman to hold the position. During her confirmation hearings, she stated, “Our society thrives when we uphold the rights of all communities.”
Bryan Stevenson, the author of Just Mercy, poignantly remarked, “We have tragically underestimated the trauma and hardship we create when we treat individuals unjustly.”
As we reflect on the anniversary of George Floyd’s passing, it’s clear that our flawed justice system has an arduous path ahead. However, we must continue advocating for reforms that not only address the symptoms but also heal the underlying issues.
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