In March of 1987, a female University of Alabama student was returning to her apartment in Tuscaloosa, AL, when she was attacked by a masked man who raped her and stole her car keys and bank card. The woman’s abandoned car was later located, and a witness reported seeing a man emerge from it some time earlier. This witness’s singular identification of 23 year old Jeffrey Holemon, who had been in jail on an unrelated, nonviolent charge, led to Jeffrey’s conviction and life sentence. 

Beth is an award-winning journalist and writer based in Birmingham, AL. Her work has been published by The Los Angeles Times, The Bitter Southerner, The Daily Beast and Facing South. Beth was a 2019 Writing for Justice Fellow with Pen America and has done extensive reporting on Alabama prisons. Before her focus on criminal justice issues, she spent 20 years working as a TV news anchor and reporter.

Beth and Jeffrey had never met before, but with Beth’s connection to Alabama, Beth found Jeffrey’s case and was immediately taken. Beth found it remarkable that the DNA evidence from Jeffrey’s appeals was a result of his own pro se litigation efforts. Litigation filed pro se, or ‘on one’s own behalf,’ is often discounted by courts, and it is an incredible accomplishment for an individual to gain any traction as a result of pro se motions.

To learn more and get involved, visit: 

https://www.kairosprisonministry.org/kairos-inside-prison-ministry.php

This episode is part of a special series in our Wrongful Conviction podcast feed of 15 episodes focused on individual cases of wrongful incarceration, guest hosted by formerly incarcerated returning citizens and leading criminal justice advocates, award-winning journalists and progressive influencers.

Wrongful Conviction  is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.

In March of 1987, a female University of Alabama student was returning to her apartment in Tuscaloosa, AL, when she was attacked by a masked man who raped her and stole her car keys and bank card. The woman&rsquo;s abandoned car was later located, and a witness reported seeing a man emerge from it some time earlier. This witness&rsquo;s singular identification of 23 year old Jeffrey Holemon, who had been in jail on an unrelated, nonviolent charge, led to Jeffrey&rsquo;s conviction and life sentence.&nbsp;
Beth is an award-winning journalist and writer based in Birmingham, AL. Her work has been published by The Los Angeles Times, The Bitter Southerner, The Daily Beast and Facing South. Beth was a 2019 Writing for Justice Fellow with Pen America and has done extensive reporting on Alabama prisons. Before her focus on criminal justice issues, she spent 20 years working as a TV news anchor and reporter.
Beth and Jeffrey had never met before, but with Beth&rsquo;s connection to Alabama, Beth found Jeffrey&rsquo;s case and was immediately taken. Beth found it remarkable that the DNA evidence from Jeffrey&rsquo;s appeals was a result of his own pro se litigation efforts. Litigation filed pro se, or &lsquo;on one&rsquo;s own behalf,&rsquo; is often discounted by courts, and it is an incredible accomplishment for an individual to gain any traction as a result of pro se motions.
To learn more and get involved, visit:&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.kairosprisonministry.org/kairos-inside-prison-ministry.php">https://www.kairosprisonministry.org/kairos-inside-prison-ministry.php</a>
This episode is part of a special series in our Wrongful Conviction podcast feed of 15 episodes focused on individual cases of wrongful incarceration, guest hosted by formerly incarcerated returning citizens and leading criminal justice advocates, award-winning journalists and progressive influencers.
<a href="https://lavaforgood.com/with-jason-flom/">Wrongful Conviction </a>&nbsp;is a production of<a href="https://lavaforgood.com/"> Lava for Good&trade; Podcasts</a> in association with<a href="https://www.signalco1.com/"> Signal Co. No1.</a>
​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.

Hosted by celebrated criminal justice reform advocate and founding board member of the Innocence Project Jason Flom, Pulitzer prize-winning podcast host and producer Maggie Freleng, and Emmy Award-winning writer, producer and podcast host Lauren Bright Pacheco, Wrongful Conviction features intimate conversations with men and women who have spent years in prison for crimes they maintain they did not commit. Some have been fully exonerated and reunited with family and friends while others continue to languish, with some even facing execution on death row. Each episode peels back the layers behind the stories of those who have found themselves caught in a legal system gone wrong, with illuminating insights from lawyers and leading experts sharing their in-depth knowledge about each case, from prison visits and courtroom battles to reexamined crime scenes and witness interviews. This gripping series reveals the tragedy of injustice…as well as the triumph that is possible when people step up and demand change.

Hosted by celebrated criminal justice reform advocate and founding board member of the Innocence Project Jason Flom, Pulitzer prize-winning podcast host and producer Maggie Freleng, and Emmy Award-winning writer, producer and podcast host Lauren Bright Pacheco, Wrongful Conviction features intimate conversations with men and women who have spent years in prison for crimes they maintain they did not commit. Some have been fully exonerated and reunited with family and friends while others continue to languish, with some even facing execution on death row. Each episode peels back the layers behind the stories of those who have found themselves caught in a legal system gone wrong, with illuminating insights from lawyers and leading experts sharing their in-depth knowledge about each case, from prison visits and courtroom battles to reexamined crime scenes and witness interviews. This gripping series reveals the tragedy of injustice&hellip;as well as the triumph that is possible when people step up and demand change.

Wrongful Conviction

Hosted by celebrated criminal justice reform advocate and founding board member of the Innocence Project Jason Flom,  Pulitzer prize-winning podcast host and producer Maggie Freleng, and Emmy Award-winning writer, producer and podcast host Lauren Bright Pacheco, Wrongful Conviction features intimate conversations with men and women who have spent years in prison for crimes they maintain they did not commit. Some have been fully exonerated and reunited with family and friends while others continue to languish, with some even facing execution on death row. Each episode peels back the layers behind the stories of those who have found themselves caught in a legal system gone wrong, with illuminating insights from lawyers and leading experts sharing their in-depth knowledge about each case, from prison visits and courtroom battles to reexamined crime scenes and witness interviews. This gripping series reveals the tragedy of injustice…as well as the triumph that is possible when people step up and demand change.

Hosted by celebrated criminal justice reform advocate and founding board member of the Innocence Project Jason Flom,&nbsp; Pulitzer prize-winning podcast host and producer Maggie Freleng, and Emmy Award-winning writer, producer and podcast host Lauren Bright Pacheco, Wrongful Conviction features intimate conversations with men and women who have spent years in prison for crimes they maintain they did not commit. Some have been fully exonerated and reunited with family and friends while others continue to languish, with some even facing execution on death row. Each episode peels back the layers behind the stories of those who have found themselves caught in a legal system gone wrong, with illuminating insights from lawyers and leading experts sharing their in-depth knowledge about each case, from prison visits and courtroom battles to reexamined crime scenes and witness interviews. This gripping series reveals the tragedy of injustice&hellip;as well as the triumph that is possible when people step up and demand change.

#306 Guest Host Beth Shelburne with Jeffrey Holemon

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/87c05d97-146c-4fd1-97a9-af4200ea9f16/transcript