Specific Case Updates
Gain insight into ongoing cases fighting injustice and wrongful convictions.
Discover Important Updates
Hear the stories of individuals we’re representing and fighting for.
William Franklin
Time Served: 44 Years
Major Tillery
Time Served: 39 Years
Major Tillery’s imprisonment is a story of lies, deception, and false testimony. As a result of police coercion and prosecutor misconduct, the innocent man is fighting over three decades of imprisonment, with 20 of those years being in solitary confinement.
William Franklin
About the Case
Franklin’s wrongful conviction dates back to the late 1970s when Emanuel “Manny” Claitt made a deal with Philadelphia homicide detectives. In exchange for leniency and perks, Claitt testified against Franklin—a claim that has since been recanted. Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge, Tracy Brandeis-Roman, overturned Franklin’s conviction, stating her disdain for convictions obtained through coercion and secret incentives.
Latest Updates
While Franklin finally gets to enjoy time with his family after 44 years of imprisonment, his battles aren’t over yet.
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Major Tillery
About the Case
Major Tillery’s case highlights police and prosecutorial misconduct leading to wrongful convictions. Tillery, who is innocent, has spent 33 years in prison, 20 of them in solitary confinement. Detectives and prosecutors coerced jailhouse informants into providing false testimony against Tillery by threatening them with murder charges, offering plea deals, and providing incentives such as private time with their girlfriends. Tillery was convicted in 1985 for a shooting incident in 1976, but without the testimony of these informants, there was no substantial evidence against him. The surviving victim identified different shooters, and charges were only brought against Tillery and his co-defendant after coercion and favors to a career informant.
Latest Updates
Major Tillery still has a way to go in his fight for freedom. He currently needs funds to invest in lawyers to overturn his wrongful conviction.
Frequently Asked
Questions
No. There is never a fee for submitting a case for review. Like many other post-conviction service organizations, we are inundated with requests to review cases. But we will review every submission we receive in order to see if it is a case where we can help.
No. We are a legal services support organization. This means that we help you find a licensed attorney with experience in this area of practice, and then we support that attorney by offsetting costs and providing para-professional assistance with client contact, scheduling, and even some drafting.
Post conviction cases move at a much slower pace than other criminal and civil litigation. Court-imposed deadlines get moved all the time so that the petitioner can have a full and fair opportunity to establish their right to a new trial.
Not necessarily. Convicted people who are serving long sentences that are a direct result of police and/or prosecutorial misconduct are entitled to a new trial and do not have to affirmatively establish their actual innocence, although they often do.
