Let’s take a moment and be very real.
Did you know that reversing false convictions in capital cases is nearly impossible? In the U.S., people are innocent until proven guilty, but once a defendant is found guilty and sentenced to life without parole by a jury, they have little recourse, and any potential pathways to freedom can take years and are often ineffective.
“Our criminal justice system is broken,” says activist Carol Menaker. “The burden falls on defendants to prove their innocence, it can be extremely difficult to get a new trial, and if you happen to be a person of color, the deck is often stacked against you from the very beginning.” Menaker’s experience serving on a jury in a murder trial opened her eyes to the problems that are leading to mass incarceration of black people in America. To set things right nearly 50 years later, she is raising awareness about what’s wrong with the system. Here are five facts you may not know:
