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ACCUSED of the worst crime, they proved their innocence. Jamaica refuses to pay
A notorious St. James case turned two young men into pariahs overnight. Lawyers wouldn’t touch it, judges hesitated on bail, and even after DNA excluded them, the stigma stuck. Defense attorney Lambert Johnson took the case, pushed for DNA testing, and watched the prosecution’s narrative unravel—yet more than a decade later, the brothers are still awaiting compensation while the state prepares to contest their civil claim at trial.
Host Andrew Wildes sits down with Johnson to unpack why defense counsel matters in preventing wrongful convictions, how identification evidence can be compromised, what the DPP’s obligations are when DNA excludes defendants, and why “justice” delayed through years of administrative and legal resistance remains justice denied.
Content note: References to sexual assault, detention, custodial violence, and prolonged legal proceedings.
Key Themes
➤ Defense counsel’s duty—taking the “unpopular” case
➤ DNA as exculpatory evidence and prosecutorial obligations
➤ Bail decisions under public pressure and media heat
➤ ID parades, photo contamination, and witness fallibility
➤ Compensation, aggravated damages, and state accountability
Chapter Breakdown
00:00 — Stigma After Bail
00:15 — Case & Guest Intro
02:40 — Civil Suit; DNA Finds Culprit
04:15 — DPP Duties After DNA
05:30 — Bail Battles Amid Outrage
07:00 — Why Johnson Took the Case
07:58 — ID Parade Falls Apart
10:15 — Due Process vs. Jungle Justice
11:30 — 2013 Flaws: Photos & Mismatched IDs
15:20 — Accountability, Damages, Next Steps
Brought to you by The Wave on The Frequency Network.
More About Andrew Wildes
Explore the work of Andrew Wildes—Jamaican lawyer, journalist, and host of Stuck: Wrongful Convictions in Jamaica. His mission is to expose systemic injustice, amplify the voices of the wrongfully imprisoned, and drive meaningful legal reform through storytelling and advocacy.
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Facebook
YouTube
For updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Andrew across platforms and join the conversation on justice in Jamaica.
Production, Distribution, and Marketing
Produced by Massif Studio & Production and The Tallawah Group.
Massif Studio Website
Massif on LinkedIn
Tallawah Website
For inquiries/sponsoring: email [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
View all episodes
By The Frequency Network: The WaveA notorious St. James case turned two young men into pariahs overnight. Lawyers wouldn’t touch it, judges hesitated on bail, and even after DNA excluded them, the stigma stuck. Defense attorney Lambert Johnson took the case, pushed for DNA testing, and watched the prosecution’s narrative unravel—yet more than a decade later, the brothers are still awaiting compensation while the state prepares to contest their civil claim at trial.
Host Andrew Wildes sits down with Johnson to unpack why defense counsel matters in preventing wrongful convictions, how identification evidence can be compromised, what the DPP’s obligations are when DNA excludes defendants, and why “justice” delayed through years of administrative and legal resistance remains justice denied.
Content note: References to sexual assault, detention, custodial violence, and prolonged legal proceedings.
Key Themes
➤ Defense counsel’s duty—taking the “unpopular” case
➤ DNA as exculpatory evidence and prosecutorial obligations
➤ Bail decisions under public pressure and media heat
➤ ID parades, photo contamination, and witness fallibility
➤ Compensation, aggravated damages, and state accountability
Chapter Breakdown
00:00 — Stigma After Bail
00:15 — Case & Guest Intro
02:40 — Civil Suit; DNA Finds Culprit
04:15 — DPP Duties After DNA
05:30 — Bail Battles Amid Outrage
07:00 — Why Johnson Took the Case
07:58 — ID Parade Falls Apart
10:15 — Due Process vs. Jungle Justice
11:30 — 2013 Flaws: Photos & Mismatched IDs
15:20 — Accountability, Damages, Next Steps
Brought to you by The Wave on The Frequency Network.
More About Andrew Wildes
Explore the work of Andrew Wildes—Jamaican lawyer, journalist, and host of Stuck: Wrongful Convictions in Jamaica. His mission is to expose systemic injustice, amplify the voices of the wrongfully imprisoned, and drive meaningful legal reform through storytelling and advocacy.
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Facebook
YouTube
For updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Andrew across platforms and join the conversation on justice in Jamaica.
Production, Distribution, and Marketing
Produced by Massif Studio & Production and The Tallawah Group.
Massif Studio Website
Massif on LinkedIn
Tallawah Website
For inquiries/sponsoring: email [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices