Author name: Marilyn Mulero

“They Stole My Life. And They Won’t Even Say Sorry.” When an innocent person is freed, we like to believe that they’ll be taken care of. That the state will right the wrong. But in many cases, the government just walks away. Nearly 20 states offer no compensation to wrongfully convicted people. What Do Exonerees […]

“I Thought This Would Never Happen to Me.” Most people assume wrongful convictions only happen to “other people”—the poor, the uneducated, the unlucky. But wrongful convictions can happen to anyone. So what can you do? *** 1. Educate Yourself & Others Learn about wrongful convictions. Follow cases, read exoneree stories, and stay informed. Talk about

“They Stole 28 Years of My Life. What Do I Get in Return? Nothing.” Imagine spending decades in prison for a crime you didn’t commit. You lose your job. Your home. Your family. Your reputation. Then, after years of fighting, you’re exonerated. You walk out of prison with nothing. This is the reality for many

“I Confessed to a Crime I Didn’t Commit. I Had No Choice.” To most people, the idea of falsely confessing to a crime seems unbelievable. Why would anyone admit to something they didn’t do—especially a serious crime like murder or assault? But the truth is, false confessions happen far more often than people realize. And

“Some States Get It Wrong More Than Others.” Not all states are equal when it comes to justice. Data shows that some states have significantly higher numbers of wrongful convictions and exonerations than others. According to recorded exoneration data since 1989, the following states have the highest number of overturned wrongful convictions: Top States for

“I Was Sentenced to Die for a Crime I Didn’t Commit.” Wrongful convictions don’t just destroy men’s lives. Women, too, are sentenced to death for crimes they never committed. But their stories are often forgotten. Since 1973, more than 190 people have been exonerated from death row. Only a handful were women. Their cases receive

“Innocent Until Proven Guilty” Is a Lie The American justice system is built on the idea that a person is innocent until proven guilty. But for the thousands of wrongfully convicted people sitting behind bars, that statement couldn’t be further from the truth. Once the system labels you guilty, proving your innocence becomes an uphill

“If I Were White, I’d Have Never Been Convicted.” When exonerees share their stories, a painful pattern emerges: Black men wrongfully convicted of murder are exonerated at a rate seven times higher than white men. Hispanic individuals are twice as likely as whites to be falsely convicted of drug crimes. Black and Hispanic exonerees spend,

“You’re Free to Go.” But Are You? The moment of release should be a joyful one. But for many exonerees, it’s just the beginning of another nightmare. For decades, the prison system dictated every moment of their lives. Where they could go. What they could eat. Who they could talk to. Then, suddenly, they’re handed

“I Went to Bed Innocent. I Woke Up on Death Row.” Marilyn Mulero never imagined that a simple decision—to walk through the wrong neighborhood—would change her life forever. She wasn’t a criminal. She wasn’t a murderer. She was a young mother who trusted the system to find the truth. Instead, the system decided her fate