Wrongfully Convicted, JJ Velazquez will be speaking at Stetson
On Monday, March 18th at 5:30 in the Great Hall, SJA and the Innocence Initiative will be hosting a forum on wrongful conviction. Our speaker, Jon “JJ” Velazquez was wrongly accused and convicted of second-degree murder in 1998. His conviction was based on inconsistent and conflicting eye-witness testimony. He spent 23 years behind bars in NY until he was granted clemency in 2021.
While incarcerated, he began his work in criminal legal reform, advocating on behalf of his fellow inmates, working with non-profit organizations to initiate educational programs, and creating workshops to empower young people impacted by crime and incarceration. Since his release, he has continued championing communities impacted by incarceration and providing support and resources for the re-entry population. As an independent consultant and certified paralegal, he has helped several innocent men obtain exonerations. JJ also works with other programs that work with justice systems by bridging communications with departments of corrections, community partners, and incarcerated populations to achieve criminal justice policy and reform.
RSVPs are required…. Here is more info about the event and a link to register Wrongful Convictions and Criminal Justice Reform – College of Law (stetson.edu).