This is a long story but I NEED you to read the whole thing. On one hand, it’s infuriating. On the other, it’s a reminder of why I’m always so proud of the work our team does.
The man in this photo is Arthur "Cetewayo" Johnson. Arthur spent 50 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted by Philly police in 1970s. For 37 years, he was held in solitary confinement — a form of torture.
But today he is finally free thanks to the work of Philly DA Larry Krasner’s Conviction Integrity Unit.
The unit found that the prosecutors in the case made false and “highly suspect” statements. Police interrogated a 15 year old kid for 30 hours, and after countless conflicting statements finally pressured him to implicate Johnson. Arthur was then forced to sign a confession after being abused by Philly Police for 21 hours.
It's disgraceful that Arthur had five decades of his life stolen all so the cops could close a case. After 37 years in solitary, Arthur said "I forgot how it feels to touch another person or to talk to another person without a [glass] screen or phone."
His story is why our movement to elect DAs and changemakers is so vital. It’s truly life-saving work. And we rely on your grassroots support to continue that work.
Arthur could very well still be in prison if not for our work to help elect Larry. So please make a donation right now to put changemakers like him in office all across America.
I know we have an uphill battle ahead of us. There’s no denying that. But moments like this remind me why our mission is just too important to EVER give up on. And I want you to know that I’m as committed as ever to this fight — especially with you all by my side.
Love and appreciate you,
Shaun
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