Corey Williams was
only 16 when he was arrested for a crime he did not commit. He was wrongfully
convicted and sentenced to death in Caddo Parish. After 20 years of legal
defense and advocacy, Corey was finally released. Corey has always maintained
his innocence, but accepted a guilty plea to lesser offenses which would allow
him to finally walk free.
When Corey was
released from prison after 20 years of incarceration, he had no possessions,
money- or even a driver’s license. Despite starting over from scratch, Corey
found a minimum wage job at a cabinet making company within days of his
release. He has maintained that same job ever since. Corey is still unable to
afford a place of his own and his options for housing are limited. He lives
with his mother in Shreveport and in his free time regularly speaks to members
of his community about his experience. Corey has spoken at
local churches, juvenile detention facilities, to men and women on probation
and parole, to students and attorneys, and even to members of the NFL Players
Coalition. He has remained positive despite having
the cards so stacked against him.
Corey’s dream is to
start his own landscaping business and be able to live in his own apartment.
When he isn’t working full time and being active in his community, he
landscapes for his neighbors.
As we approach the
anniversary of Corey’s release, please consider donating to the Corey's Fresh Start Fund.
Corey has made tremendous progress, and is an incredibly hard worker, but he
continues to rebuild his life and make up for opportunities he missed. Your
donation will make an enormous impact and help Corey achieve his goals of
moving into his own apartment and purchasing a truck for his landscaping
business.
The Promise of
Justice Initiative has put together a collection of graphics, sample tweets and
hashtags which you can use to bring awareness to Corey’s story and help raise
money for the Corey’s Fresh Start Fund. This toolkit contains resources and
social media posts which we encourage you to share with your friends, family
and followers. Together we can support Corey and help him lead the life he
deserves.
Corey’s story was
featured on a recent episode of CNN’s Death Row Stories. Watch the trailer , or
watch the full episode on Amazon or Youtube today.
