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Clarence Harrison's Execution Essay: The Innocent Project

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Can you imagine being incarcerated for almost 20 years for a crime that you didn’t commit? Can you imagine the turmoil and agony Clarence Harrison endured while living out years imprisoned waiting the day that he would be found out to be a free man? What about the fear of now being released from prison after have served 17 years, being thrust back in society and told to live as though he had never been removed?

Clarence Harrison was a 28 years old when he was arrested of the streets of Decatur, Ga. He was informed that he was a suspect in a rape of a 25 year old woman. (Oliviera) Due to the victims’ eyewitness, Harrison was convicted of this crime and sentenced to life in prison plus twenty years. Even though Harrison held fast to his statement that he was innocent, he convicted of rape in 1987. (Services) In 1988, Harrison asked for a DNA test, which was done but testing at that time, came back with the results of unable to determine, being that the US had only been using it since 1986. (Justice) After have spent 15 years in prison, Clarence Harrison contacted a group named “The Innocent Project,” to take on his case to prove his innocence and was accepted. …show more content…

This is a topic that seems to come up in the African American community quite often. Statistics shows that 5 out of 10 persons wrongly accused of a crime are African American. (George) Harrison was released and exonerated of the crime that had him imprisoned for 17.5 years. As a blessing, Harrison dated a woman that stayed by his side the entire time of his incarceration. Being that he had someone to fall back on; he was able to settle into life much better than newly freed person from prison after having served numerous years.

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