Wrongly Accused of Rape, Randall Mills Has Been Proven Innocent. But That Doesn’t Mean He’s Exonerated. Vindication and compensation remain elusive for Tennessee’s wrongly convicted, in part because of the state’s parole board. Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg
Sentenced To Life At 16 In Slaying Of Man Who She Said Pulled A Gun On Her In 1996, Michele Benjamin was sentenced to life without parole for killing a man who she said solicited her for sex and menaced her with a weapon in New Orleans. A Supreme Court decision led her to be re-sentenced to life with a chance at parole in 2016. Today, a parole hearing brings the possibility of freedom. Josie Duffy Rice
If Cyntoia Brown Can Be Released from Prison, Why Not Trafficking Survivor Alexis Martin? Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam just granted clemency to Brown, who was forced to trade sex for money, but Ohio’s governor declined this week to do the same for Martin. Melissa Gira Grant
New Orleans Woman Sentenced to Life In Prison For Killing Abusive Husband Is Granted New Trial Catina Curley suffered physical abuse at the hands of her husband for more than a decade. When she turned a revolver on him, she was charged with murder and sentenced to life. Now, thanks to a court ruling, she has a chance at freedom. Josie Duffy Rice
Cyntoia Brown Case Reveals Entrenched Problems with Tennessee Juvenile Justice State law makes it easier to throw Brown away than consider traumas youth face and offer them hope of rehabilitation. Demetria D. Frank