Recently I was at Northwestern University's Center on Wrongful Convictions with Johnnie Lee Savory. As we walked down one of its hallways, Johnnie stopped to show me a picture.
"Take a look at this," Johnnie said. "This picture says everything that needs to be said."
Johnnie was only 14 years old when he was first sentenced to 50-100 years for a crime he did not commit and then began his on-going fight to clear his name.
At every turn, the particular facts of Johnnie's story shock the conscience. But what happened to Johnnie was not simply a failure of the criminal justice system. It was a failure of all the institutions that were supposed to protect him as a child.
In this sense, Johnnie's story is all too common.
The picture to which Johnnie pointed is from the cover of the Children's Defense Fund 2007 Report, America's Cradle to Prison Pipeline. Among other things, the report details how an increasing number of children are ending up prison.
This is not the result of justice. It is the fundamental lack of care for our society's most vulnerable members. It is also bad public policy. As the report documents, it costs more to imprison a child than it does to provide the educational opportunities that are most likely to keep him out of prison and help him flourish.
This is why Johnnie will tell you his fight for justice is bigger than himself. It both shines a light on what happens when our society fails to protect our children, as it calls all of us to wake up and fight for our children.
You can join this fight today by contacting Illinois Governor Blagojevic at 217-782-0244, or email him by following this link.
Tell Governor Blagojevich to order DNA testing on the evidence that was used to put Johnnie away more than 30 years ago.
Also, if you want to find out four more ways you can help Johnnie clear his name, you can become a Savory Supporter by going here.
If you have any questions about Johnnie or this blog, feel free to leave them in the comments or email them to justiceforsavory@gmail.com.
Note: Thursday's post will feature the next part of my interview with Johnnie where he describes his first trial, and how the prosecution argued for the death penalty. To watch past videos, checkout Johnnie's YouTube Channel here.
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John Maki
John Maki is a new media consultant for Chicago non-profits. In his spare time, John is also a multi-media producer and contributor for The Windy Citizen. Before working in new media, John taught high school literature, and before that was a graduate student in English literature at the University of Chicago. John is currently in his third year at Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
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Comments
What a terrible image. I am shocked and appalled that such a thing could happen to a small boy. What's the current update on receiving a DNA test? http://onewisemedia.com/donate-real-estate/
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