Stories

We are proud to walk alongside our incarcerated, freed, and exonerated clients and to support the great courage, strength, and resilience that they demonstrate in the fight for justice and on the long path to healing.

Since we opened our doors in 2009, we have welcomed home 40 clients. Together, they lost nearly 1,000 years of their lives to wrongful convictions. Browse some of their stories below or visit our blog to learn more about client journeys. See more in our 2025 Annual Report here.

Thank you for joining us in the sustained fight for justice. Together, we are unlocking the truth and freeing the innocent.

Featured Stories

Marc Brittingham – Freed May 27, 2026

After 28 years of wrongful incarceration, Marc Brittingham walked free from the Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution at Chester on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.  

Mr. Brittingham was wrongfully convicted of second degree murder in 1998 for the death of a 73-year-old woman alongside his friends and codefendants, Jermal Shuler and Rasheed Turner. At the Project’s request, the Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office took an extensive look at the case. It concluded that the trial medical examiner’s findings were unreliable, and new forensic pathology evidence created “grave doubt” about the flawed forensic testimony at the time of the original trial.

Marc, Jermal, and Rasheed were finally exonerated on May 26, 2026. The three men, who hadn't seen each other since being convicted nearly three decades ago, were excited to return home to Philadelphia and reconnect with their loved ones. 

See a video interview Marc and codefendants on ABC News here, find this story in the Philadelphia Inquirer here, and read more about their cases on the National Registry of Exonerations here.

Mr. Brittingham first wrote to the Project in April 2009, the same month that we officially opened our doors. This case has been reviewed by many staff members over the years who join us in welcoming home Marc and his codefendants. Marc is represented by our Legal Director Nilam Sanghvi and Amelia Maxfield of the Exoneration Project. Reentry Coordinator Blanca Castro has worked to organize post-release services. Codefendant Jermal Shuler is represented by attorneys at the Innocence Project based in New York and the Exoneration Project; codefendant Rasheed Smith is represented by DLA Piper.

Darrell McKelvie – Freed May 19, 2026

After nearly 52 years of wrongful incarceration, Darrell McKelvie is finally home. On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Mr. McKelvie walked free from the Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution at Benner Township. He looks forward to time with his family in Philadelphia.  

Mr. McKelvie was wrongly convicted in 1975 of the murder of a teenager in North Philadelphia. He has maintained his innocence for more than five decades since. On May 18, 2026, the Commonwealth agreed that the case against him was never strong. No forensic or physical evidence tied him to the crime and testimony from witnesses - all teenagers themselves - was inconsistent. Still, Mr. McKelvie was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole when he was only 18 years old. Today, he is finally free. 

Many Project staff members and interns have worked on Mr. McKelvie’s case over the years. We are grateful to all the current and former staff members who contributed to this outcome, including our Clay Waterman, our outgoing Managing Attorney for Intake and Case Evaluation who led our team, Legal Director Nilam Sanghvi, Deputy Legal Director Liz DeLosa. We were also privileged to partner once again on this case with the Federal Community Defender Office, particularly attorney Claudia Flores. 

More Stories

Each person’s name above is featured alongside the date they were released after decades of wrongful incarceration. Several stories include links to where you can learn more about these stories or hear from clients in their own words. More stories will be added soon!

Every year on October 2nd, we mark Wrongful Conviction Day with partners across the Innocence Network. Click here to see how we commemorated the day in 2025.

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