Choppin' It Up With Jimmie C. -- Life After Wrongful Conviction

It doesn't matter who you are, how many degrees you have, or if you are innocent, a wrongful conviction can happen to anyone. Calvin Johnson is an exoneree from the state of Georgia who spent 16 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. As soon as he was released, he started speaking and sharing his story around the world. It was important for people to understand how such a tragic event could happen to an innocent person and to let people know that it could happen to them too. Calvin was the first exoneree to sit on the board of the New York Innocence Project and also served on the board of the Georgia Innocence Project.

A wrongful conviction can happen to anyone, that’s why we advocate so fiercely for our brothers and sisters inside. Jeffrey Deskovic is an exonerated man out of New York who was wrongfully convicted for a crime he did not commit. Now that he’s home, he has started a non-profit organization, The Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice that has brought 7 people home and has helped change 3 laws in New York. He even took it a step further, passed his bar exam and is now an attorney fighting for justice.

“Without purpose you have nothing”, are not only words that Joshua Proby lives by, but they are the founding blocks for the brand he has built since being home. After spending 12 years in prison, Josh decided not to waste another minute and he began pursuing every path he dreamed about while he was locked up. He has been home for 2 years and is a proud father, husband, author, social activist, multiple business owner, and motivational speaker. His story is a testament to the power of transformation when emotional intelligence is applied.

Wrongful conviction is deplorable, but over-incarceration is just as devastating. Stet Frazier was sentenced to life in prison for a first-time, non-violent drug charge and was denied justice at every turn. While inside, Stet never gave up and consistently fought for justice, he even wrote a 34-page petition to Congress. This episode goes into detail about his case and how various laws were used to deny countless individuals their right to freedom.

After serving 15 years from his life sentence, Richard Houdershell emerged as a changed man with a purpose to correct his past and put good back into the world. He was driven by the need to better his karma after making regrettable decisions as a young man, now he spends his time fighting for justice and lighting a path for others. Rick leads with vulnerability and strength; he was extremely active in the penitentiary during the time that I knew him. We go back 30 years! When he returned home, health and fitness remained his saving grace and now he's one of the top fitness trainers in Germany. Check out his website https://www.richardhoudershell.com for his 2 books and other blog posts about his experiences.