Upcoming Events

Integrity of Justice Project

Upcoming Events

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Monday, April 20, 2009

Jennifer and Ronald have an extraordinary story to tell. It is a story that challenges the way we think of our legal system. It is a story that challenges our ideas about memory and judgment. It is a story that teaches us about human grace and the healing power of forgiveness.

Picking Cotton: Our Story of Injustice & Redemption

Featuring Speakers, Activists and Authors Ronald Cotton and Jennifer Thompson-Cannino

In 1984, Jennifer Thompson-Cannino was raped at knifepoint by a man who broke into her apartment while she was sleeping. She escaped, and eventually positively identified Ronald Cotton as her rapist in a photo array and subsequent physical lineup.

Ronald always insisted he was innocent, but Jennifer’s positive ID was the compelling evidence that put him behind bars. But in 1995, a DNA test that proved he was not Jennifer’s rapist. Ronald was released, after serving eleven years in prison for a crime he did not commit.

Two years after his release, Ronald and Jennifer met face to face—and they became incredible friends. With Jennifer’s help, Ronald received over $100,000 in compensation from the state of North Carolina for his wrongful incarceration. They now travel the country speaking about their experiences, their friendship, the harrowing and often murky waters of the criminal justice system, and working towards reform in the area of mistaken witness identification.

Co-sponsored by the Integrity of Justice Project and the William H. Gates Public Service Law Speakers Series.

Free and open to the public

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