The Alley: DC's 8th and H Case

President Biden did not issue pardons for the men from the 8th and H case. While understandably frustrated, they remain determined to continue their fight for justice. Their legal team has indicated they will continue pursuing a pardon by working with the new presidential administration and the Justice Department. We will release a more detailed episode soon, where you will hear from the wrongly accused men and their lawyers. Stay tuned, and thank you for listening.

This is the final installment in a series of six episodes, each highlighting one of the falsely accused men from the 8th and H Case. Despite the challenges they've faced, these men have shown remarkable resilience. This series will allow listeners to get a small glimpse of who these men are as individuals.

Today's episode features Russell Overton.

Mr. Overton works at Costco, where he has been awarded the employee of the month twice and was recently promoted to supervisor. He is very family-oriented and has focused much of his energy after incarceration on reconnecting with his children and caring for his mother. Russell is passionate about pottery and spends his free time crafting and painting his ceramic works. He was wrongfully incarcerated for 37.5 years.

This is the fifth in a series of six episodes, each highlighting one of the falsely accused men from the 8th and H Case. Despite the challenges they've faced, these men have shown remarkable resilience. This series will allow listeners to get a small glimpse of who these men are as individuals.

Today's episode features Chris Turner.

Mr. Turner is a dedicated Duke Ellington School for the Arts employee. He has lectured at universities, colleges, and police academies on his experience of being wrongfully incarcerated. He serves as the board chair for Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop, a nonprofit providing educational services and mentoring for incarcerated youth and adults. He previously served as a board member of the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project. The Greater Washington Urban League awarded Chris its 2024 Community Impact Award.

This is the fourth in a series of six episodes, each highlighting one of the falsely accused men from the 8th and H Case. Despite the challenges they've faced, these men have shown remarkable resilience. This series will allow listeners to get a small glimpse of who these men are as individuals.

Today's episode features Levy Rouse.

Levy earned a computer science degree and recently married a pastor. He walks everywhere in DC, grateful for the opportunity to finally experience the freedom he has long deserved. Levy is a devout Christian who became a minister while in prison. He currently works at a community center in Southeast DC.

This is the third in a series of six episodes, each highlighting one of the falsely accused men from the 8th and H Case. Despite the challenges they've faced, these men have shown remarkable resilience. This series will allow listeners to get a small glimpse of who these men are as individuals.

Today's episode features Cliff Yarborough.

Cliff devotes his working days to providing physical and spiritual safe passage to schoolchildren. He also cares for his mother and spends all his free time volunteering in his community. Every morning, Cliff manually sends good morning messages to more than 100 of his friends and family. This small but kind gesture is an indication of how thoughtful he is.

This episode is the second in a series of six episodes, each highlighting one of the falsely accused men from the 8th and H Case. Despite the challenges they've faced, these men have shown remarkable resilience. This series will allow listeners to see a small glimpse of who these men are as individuals.

Today's episode features Timothy Catlett.

Growing up in and out of the foster care system, Mr. Catlett has gone against the odds his whole life. But he doesn't let the challenges he's faced affect his ability to lead a full life. Timothy volunteers at the Free Minds Book Club and regularly attends church. He plans to marry his fiancée, Monique, next summer. Timothy is a hard worker, clocking in fourteen-hour days to earn an income for his new family and to reach his goals.

This episode is the first in a series of six episodes, each highlighting one of the falsely accused men from the 8th and H Case. Today's episode features Charles Turner.

Despite the challenges they've faced, these men have shown remarkable resilience. They are so much more than the terrible things that happened to them. They're husbands, fathers, friends, supervisors, and mentors, among many other things. This series will allow listeners to see a small glimpse of who these men are as individuals.

Charles Turner spends countless hours volunteering for Free Minds Book Club, where he mentors young people reentering the community from prison. He leads a custodial team at one of the largest libraries in DC. In his spare time, Charles volunteers at homeless shelters.

In the summer of 2024, the men from the 8th and H Case submitted applications for a Presidential pardon. Lawyers Shawn Armbrust (Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project) and Eden Schiffmann (Williams & Connolly) share what went into this arduous process. Chris Turner discusses the immense impact a Presidential pardon would have on his life.

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There are two critical actions you can take to support the pardon effort.

1. First, you can go to 8thandHjustice.com to add your name to the list of supporters. It takes no more than two minutes. There are two separate links: one for former or current DC residents and one for non-DC residents. You can find this on the "get involved" page.

2. Second, share your thoughts about the case on any social media platform using the hashtag #8thandHJustice. In recent years, we've seen the power of social media in influencing Presidential pardon decisions. Your posts can increase public pressure, making it more likely that the 8th and H case will catch the president's attention.

Six of the surviving accused men adjust to life outside of prison walls. In a final act, they consider a last-ditch effort to clear their names and bring justice to light: a presidential pardon.

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If you want to support a presidential pardon for the men from the 8th and H case, there are 3 things you can do.

First, start conversations about the 8th and H case. Discuss it with your friends and family. Write to your member of Congress to make sure they know about it. Post about it on social media and tag the White House. Use the hashtag #TheAlleyPod to join in the conversation with others.

Second, if you'd like to write a letter of support to be included in the pardon application, you can email it to the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project at [email protected].

And third, share this podcast with as many people as you can. If you have questions about any of this, you can email me directly at [email protected].