Los Angeles, CA -- It is estimated that 2.3 million people are currently incarcerated in the United States, and approximately 2 - 10% (40,000 - 230,000) are wrongfully convicted. Since a majority of wrongful conviction cases do not have DNA evidence, it can sometimes take years, even decades, to prove the innocence of a wrongfully convicted person. However, such legal personnel cannot afford to work pro bono long-term and most convicted persons seeking exoneration cannot afford legal representation. Per Santa Clara University of Law, some cases can cost more than $2 million and an estimated 5,000 attorney hours or more to win the freedom of a wrongfully convicted person.
Launching in October 2020, the Timothy T. Williams, Jr. Foundation for Wrongful Convictions (TTWFWC) is making history by providing attorneys, experts, and criminal investigators with grant funding that embraces their prevailing industry rates to work as teams on state and federal wrongful conviction cases nationwide. In response to the national crisis of wrongful convictions, TTWFWC sets itself apart by funding the exoneration process from beginning to end. TTWFWC will also provide continuing education and professional development workshops to the next generation of expert witnesses, criminal investigators, and attorneys.
