A Rape That Wasn't: The Wrongful Conviction of Jarrett Adams

When Jarrett Adams was 17 years old, he was falsely accused and ultimately wrongfully convicted of a sexual assault he did not commit. He spent eight years in prison before he was exonerated by the Wisconsin Innocence Project.

Music By Nathan Urdangen
Video By John Maki

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Racism
• civil rights
• false accusations
• police misconduct
• wrongful convictions
• sexual assault
• innocence project
• criminal defense
• law
• wisconsin innocence project
• chicago
• inspiring
• jarrett adams

[Janissi42]

Same story, different day. How tragic and shameful our legal system is. Not only did this brother spend countless years in prison for something he didn't do, but how many other black men have met his same fate throughout the centuries.

[fuzzywzhe]

Is the woman in jail yet?

[muscleoffigus]

@Janissi42 not just blacks

[jball2ktherapper]

beautiful story.

[KushKing99]

@pompilot12

@pompilot12

I am sorry but I would most certainly go after that girl for defamation and then go after the state. I wouldn't just be "happy" to be free after 8 yrs. If I were his parents, I just could not let this ride. What that girl did was dangerous and reckless. He could have gotten 20 yrs for this.

[TheJazzyT]

I believe the United States has one of best, if not the greatest, legal systems in the world, though its not without fault. It is ridiculous that a person in this country can sue for thousands of dollars for tripping over a bump on a sidewalk or slipping on a wet floor that had no sign and yet when a person is wrongly convicted of crime and spends YEARS in prison they are not compensated even a dime.

I'm glad to see that this man was able to take this experience and do something great with it.

[Joseph565112]

You aren't even afforded that much in terms of compensation when guys do get it. Often the amount is less than $10,000 per year of wrongful incarceration. Not to say that even that amount couldn't help, but it's still not much...considering what most people do actually earn in a year.

[pompilot12]

he should get compensation for this. We studied this in history. It is in the constitution.

[TheRealRedFlashlight]

Whether or not he raped this woman isn't the issue here. The issue is that THE JURY is supposed to decide guilt or innocence. If the court system does not let the jury have access to all the evidence, that just isn't fair. In this case it was extraordinarily unfair, given the racially loaded content.

[Bigjarvis44]

John Pray and Keith Findley God must be smiling at his creation, you two really work for justice. Jarrett your perseverance and positive attitude is inspiring. Good Luck in Law School!!

[demmylowther]

All people who spent time in prison who is/was found innoscent later on absolutely deserves a huge lawsuit settlement.BUT,thats not good enough for me.I think that the prosecuting attorneys should be stripped of their credentials,and sued as well.I wouldnt feel bad one bit if the suit made these aggressive prosecuters lose their homes and have their wages garnished where ever they find a job.All they care about is adding a feather in their cap so when they run for higher office,they look good !

[fireO5]

I Find The American Judicial system Rather Disturbing, I Am All For This Dude... He should Have Been Compensated And Then Some For Having Been Falsely Accused, Unfortunately Every Years something like This Happens To Innocent People... GL Dudes...