Porter Square Books is thrilled to welcome Professor Daniel Medwed for the release of his latest book, Barred: Why the Innocent Can't Get Out of Prison. He'll be joined in conversation by Radha Natarajan, the Executive Director of the New England Innocence Project.
We are so pleased to bring you this event in collaboration with Prison Book Program, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. We'll be collecting gently used copies of books during the event according to these guidelines. We also encourage attendees to consider donating to the Prison Book Program- we'll be collecting cash donations in person at the event and we'll also have QR codes posted which you can scan to donate cashlessly! If you'd prefer to donate in advance, you can do so at this link.
This in person event will take place on Thursday, September 29th at 7pm at Porter Square Books: Cambridge Edition. Masks are required at this event. RSVPs, while not required, are highly encouraged- you can RSVP below!
About the Book
A groundbreaking exposé of how our legal system makes it nearly impossible to overturn wrongful convictions
Thousands of innocent people are behind bars in the United States. But proving their innocence and winning their release is nearly impossible.
In Barred, legal scholar Daniel S. Medwed argues that our justice system’s stringent procedural rules are largely to blame for the ongoing punishment of the innocent. Those rules guarantee criminal defendants just one opportunity to appeal their convictions directly to a higher court. Afterward, the wrongfully convicted can pursue only a few narrow remedies. Even when there is strong evidence of a miscarriage of justice, rigid guidelines, bias, and deference toward lower courts all too often prevent exoneration.
Offering clear explanations of legal procedures alongside heart-wrenching stories of their devastating impact, Barred exposes how the system is stacked against the innocent and makes a powerful call for change.
About The Presenters
Daniel S. Medwed is university distinguished professor of law and criminal justice at Northeastern University School of Law. A renowned innocence advocate, he is the author of Prosecution Complex: America’s Race to Convict and Its Impact on the Innocent. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Radha Natarajan joined the New England Innocence Project after 12 years as a public defender bringing her litigation skills, compassion and a fierce determination to bring an end to wrongful convictions. Nationally recognized as an expert in eyewitness identification, Radha applies the lessons learned in the reform of eyewitness identification to other flawed uses of forensic sciences. She provides trainings across the country to the judiciary, the defense bar, prosecutors and law enforcement. Pronouns: she/her/hers
About Our Partners
Prison Book Program mails books to people in prison to support their educational, vocational and personal development and to help them avoid returning to prison after their release. We also aim to provide a quality volunteer experience that introduces citizens to issues surrounding the American prison system and the role of education in reforming it. You can learn more on their website: https://prisonbookprogram.org/
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RSVP to our Cambridge event with Daniel Medwed!
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