Book Review
Page 10
Exonerated
but not free
BY KATHERINE LUCK
Flower profiles, was even informed that his
false conviction for arson and murder was
his fault, as he had “set in motion the
ore than 2.3 million people are
investigation
in 1988 that led to his
being held in state and federal
conviction
by
reporting car fires in 1987,
correctional facilities across the
U.S. Within such a massive population, which caused him to come to the attention
of the police.” In essence, by being a good
chances are more than a few are actually
citizen, James had somehow orchestrated
innocent As investigative journalist Alison
his own false conviction.
Flowers discovered, an estimated 2 to 5
After a quarter of a century behind bars,
percent of all prisoners in the U.S. did not
James
found himself facing a future on the
commit the crimes they’ve been accused of
outside that was in its own way as bereft of
and a prisoner is found innocent and
freedom as his life in prison. Although he
formally exonerated every three days.
was
grateful to be exonerated, he felt
Flowers explores the lives of four
trapped by dreams of the life he could have
wrongfully convicted prisoners, chronicling
led.
their experiences before, during and after
“I have no doubt that my life would be
exoneration in “Exoneree Diaries: The Fight
totally different I would have a very
for Innocence, Independence, and Identity.”
successful business by now. I’d be looking
Although life within the prison system is
towards retirement with great anticipation.
increasingly coming under scrutiny, the
Now, it’s extreme horror because I haven’t
struggle of former prisoners who have been
been able to pay Social Security taxes for
released is often glossed over.
the last 25 years. I haven’t been able to plan
“Little is known about how exonerated
a retirement,” he said.
prisoners struggle to rebuild the lives and
“Some exonerees die before receiving a
the livelihoods they lost,” Flowers wrote.
dime
of compensation,” Flowers noted, with
Flowers began to examine the exoneree
many facing expensive and lifelong health
experience in 2013, stemming from
complications from inadequate medical care
investigations into corruption within the
while
in prison. They also lose topch with
Chicago Police D epartment She found that
family and friends, often missing out on
the impact of imprisonment is long lasting
social and emotional milestones such as
and the release of an innocent person is not
completing their schooling, learning to
necessarily a joyous victory of justice.
drive, raising a family and finding
After their release, many former
meaningful work.
prisoners struggle for years to get the false
Perhaps the most tragic case is that of
status of felon removed from their records
Kristine,
a young mother who wnke up one
so that they can obtain housing and
night to find her trailer home on fire. Het
employment James, one of the exonerees
C O N TR IB U T IN G W RITER
M
“Exoneree
Diaries: The Fight
for Innocence,
independence,
and Identity” by
Alison Flowers
Street Roots • Oct. 7-13,, 2016
Journalist Alison Flowers follows
fo u r exonerees whose lost
opportunities and struggles to
rebuild their lives left them feeling
trapped even after their release
from prison
young son died in the blaze. Kristine was
promptly arrested for arson.
Her attorney, Jane Raley, recalled, “Here
we had a Woman with no prior criminal
history. No eyewitness. No confession. No
motive. And the experts we were consulting
were telling us there was no scientific basis
to suggest arson.”
Kristine was found guilty and sentenced
to 60 years in prison. After 17 years behind
bars, she was exonerated. Although she was
gradually able to piece her life back
together, reconnecting with her family and
establishing an independent life on the
outside, she missed her chance to do the
one thing she most longed to do: have
another child.
“Exoneree Diaries” grew from a yearlong
online series by Chicago Public Media, with
three of the former criminals drawn from
“the wrongful conviction capital of the
United States: Cook County, Illinois,” a
county that averages the most exonerations
of any in the country. Together, the four
individuals profiled in “Exoneree Diaries”
served more than 80 years for crimes they
did not commit
Although bleak at times, the perseverance
of the former prisoners and their
determination to prove their innocence is
inspiring, The exonerees might hesitate to
claim their stories have “happy endings,"
but they can say that after years of struggle,
justice has finally been served.
Reprinted from Street Roots' sister paper,
Real Change News Seattle