On June 7, 1988, joggers discovered the body of 35 year old Robert Mejia on a running trail in the woods behind his apartment complex in Pontiac, MI. Mejia had been stabbed to death. Primarily due to the junk science of bite mark evidence, Gilbert Poole was convicted of first-degree murder, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. 

With 20 years of expertise in criminal justice, Chris Fabricant leads the Innocence Project’s Strategic Litigation Department as the Joseph Flom Special Counsel and Director of Strategic Litigation. His knowledge of forensic sciences drives his work’s focus on the intersection of science, law reform and social justice. 

Chris learned about Gilbert's case when he and Marla Mitchell-Cichon, Gilbert's attorney, discussed the bite mark junk science that sent him to prison. Then, at the 2022 Innocence Network Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, Chris listened to Gilbert speak about his case and experience.

To learn more about the junk science of bite mark evidence: https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/145-wrongful-conviction-junk-science-bite-mark-evidence/

http://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/junk-science/

To get involved, visit:

https://www.cooley.edu/alumni/help-our-students?hsCtaTracking=4ff403ba-26dd-4fdf-80fe-1990814d3858%7C959d4c89-aa90-400a-a2a7-6c2bc608119f 

This episode is part of a special series in our Wrongful Conviction podcast feed of 15 episodes focused on individual cases of wrongful incarceration, guest hosted by formerly incarcerated returning citizens and leading criminal justice advocates, award-winning journalists and progressive influencers.

Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On February 6, 1996, three men dressed in black fled in a white car after robbing and murdering George Bryant and Oscar Bridges at Bryant’s home in Kansas City, MO. Bryant’s 4 year old daughter was present and survived unharmed. Bryant’s daughter told police she was watching TV when men came to the house in a white car. Her father let them in and while they were in the kitchen, she heard a gunshot. She said her dad fell and tried to run but was shot again. Police received numerous anonymous calls that named 10 men as suspects, including Ricky Kidd. Detectives conducted a questionable interview of the 4 year old girl where she identified Kidd as one of the killers after some strong suggestions were made to the impressionable little girl. Ricky was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://linktr.ee/IAR

Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chapter 3 of 9

Facing the death penalty, Leo Schofield retains renowned Polk County defense attorney Jack Edmund, who must square off against an aggressive young prosecutor, John Aguero at trial. The prosecutor builds his case around testimony from numerous witnesses who describe a volatile relationship between Leo and Michelle, and a witness who claims to have observed something suspicious on the night Michelle disappeared. 

For photos, images, and the full transcript of this episode visit: https://bit.ly/BVS1E3

Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On January 10, 1998, a 60-year-old woman was robbed and sexually assaulted in her home in Violet, LA. Upon his arrest, Ulysses Pierre implicated his cousin, Jarvis Ballard, in the crime. After severe abuse from detectives, Ballard produced a confession and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for aggravated rape.

Patrick was wrongfully convicted for a 1993 murder in Rockford, IL, for which he spent nearly 24 years in prison. Remarkably, he ended up writing the law that set him free. Patrick and Jarvis met for the first time in person at the 2022 Innocence Network Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Their shared experience of mistreatment by the criminal justice system gave them a lot to talk about.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://ip-no.org/what-we-do/free-innocent-prisoners/client-profiles/jarvis-ballard/

https://www.gofundme.com/f/jarvis-ballard-freedom-fund

This episode is part of a special series in our Wrongful Conviction podcast feed of 15 episodes focused on individual cases of wrongful incarceration, guest hosted by formerly incarcerated returning citizens and leading criminal justice advocates, award-winning journalists and progressive influencers.

Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On April 25, 1990, a 10 year old girl was allegedly abducted from her backyard in Columbus, OH. She said that a man grabbed her, pulled her over a fence, tied a sock around her eyes and put her in his car. He then drove to a nearby abandoned house, took her inside and sexually assaulted her on a couch. Afterward, the man took the girl in his car to a convenience store and went inside. While he was inside, the girl jumped from the car and ran home. She told her mother about the attack the next day when her mother noticed that she was acting strangely. According to the mother, the girl said at this time that her biological father, 34 year old Robert McClendon, had abducted and assaulted her the previous day. Based largely on the testimony of the 10 year old girl, McClendon was convicted of kidnapping and rape and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chapter 2 of 9

Leo’s friends and family search desperately for Michelle around Lakeland, Florida. Three days later, her body is found in a phosphate mining pit with 26 stab wounds. Leo is arrested, charged with first degree murder, and faces the electric chair. 

For photos, images, and the full transcript of this episode visit https://bit.ly/BVS1E2

To hear the full length version  of "Ducking Grady" by Stephon Girard, go to: https://youtu.be/lA6bruIZ0Ak

Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chapter 1 of 9

Author Gilbert King receives a message from a Florida judge who claims that there is an innocent man in prison, wrongly convicted of murdering his wife back in 1987. King and researcher Kelsey Decker meet Leo Schofield in prison and learn about the disappearance of 18 year-old Michelle Schofield. 

For photos, images, and the full transcript of this episode visit https://bit.ly/BVS1E1 

Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On July 4, 2002, two men shot and killed 36-year-old Tony Cox outside a restaurant in Chicago, IL. Suspecting the murder was gang-related, police arrested Eric Blackmon. After claiming Blackmon was selected from a lineup by eyewitnesses, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to 60 years in prison.

Guest Host Patrick Pursley was wrongfully convicted for a 1993 murder in Rockford, IL, for which he spent nearly 24 years in prison. Remarkably, he ended up writing the law that set him free.

Patrick and Eric spent over a decade together in Stateville Correctional Center in Cook County, Illinois. They both learned the law and represented themselves before being granted their freedom.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://www.law.northwestern.edu/legalclinic/wrongfulconvictions/exonerations/eric-blackmon.html

https://www.macarthurjustice.org/team_member/eric-blackmon/

https://www.thejri.org/bod

https://www.chicagotorturejustice.org/board-of-directors

This episode is part of a special series in our Wrongful Conviction podcast feed of 15 episodes focused on individual cases of wrongful incarceration, guest hosted by formerly incarcerated returning citizens and leading criminal justice advocates, award-winning journalists and progressive influencers.

Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On October 25 1986, a 25 year old woman was attacked as she walked to a bus stop in Decatur, GA. The assailant approached her, hit her in the face, and sexually assaulted her. He stole her wristwatch, money, and broke two of her front teeth. 

Police were led to Clarence Harrison because he lived near the site of the assault and neighbors told police that they heard someone at his house had a watch they were trying to sell. But Clarence had an alibi. He was at a neighbor’s house playing poker all night. And when police searched Clarence’s home, they didn’t find the victim’s watch. 

But once the victim identified Clarence as her attacker, he was charged and ultimately convicted of rape and robbery, and sentenced to life in prison plus 40 years.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-clarence-harrison?qid=f27b687752463c4887b50165f7b66c35

Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On January 13, 1994, two men hijacked the car of three travelers at a gas station in Chicago, IL, killing Reginald Wilson and Felicia Lewis. Carl Williams was implicated in the crime by the two hijackers and eventually produced a confession after hours of abuse and coercion from detectives. Williams was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Patrick speaks with Carl Williams, and Attorney Karl Leonard, from the Exoneration Project at the University of Chicago Law School.

To learn about and support Carl Williams, visit:

https://www.royalmensolutions.com/

Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.