I Would like to first say that a life was lost. Do I not feel for those who lost a love one, but for over 20 year I've been in prison far a crime in which I didn't commit. My name is Champagne Smith 39 years old, I was born June 23,1982 in Harlem, NY to a teenage mother who was 2 month past her 16 birthday at the time of my birth. By the time I was 5 years old my mother was a drug addict unlike my mother; my father didn't use drugs he sold them, so the very thing that destroyed my mother, my father profited from to survived. Due to this Volatile set up by the time I was 12 years old I was in foster care far removed from my normal to a family I didn't Know to a place I never been very loving people. Who did their best to show and give me a example of healthy love. Which I now understand what my 12 year old mind couldn't understand. This experience lasted 4 years which by that time both my mother and father had change their lives for the better. By this time I was in high school doing well in school as well as excellent in football and basketball with offers from over 100 of Colleges. But I couldn't forgive or understand why I had to suffer for my parents faults and begin to rebel and hang out in the streets. I stop going to school and begin out in the streets at 17 years old. I was arrested for the first time and charge with drug possession and robbery. I Later pled guilty to attempt robbery although I never attempt to rob anyone. I was sentenced as a adult and giving 2 years in state prison even though my lawyer and family as well as myself wrote the court asking for leniency and that I be sentence as a youthful offender. I obtained my GED and maintain good behavior while being detained. Upon my release I work in the world trade center while trying to reclaim my life and stay out of trouble. In 2006 I was convicted of a murder charge that I did not commit. It's been over 20 years now that I've been in prison and I continue to fight for my for my freedom. I'm now married and have a 3 year old son. I've been bless to have a family and friends that support me and my fight for freedom. This journey hasn't been easy and I learned so munch in the time the most important is that as a society we have a false sense of the criminal justice system and it's purpose, very little is done to help a person rehabilitate instead it works in a way to help break a person so they become content with prison. The word change is a word very few people believed in even though it's used all the time. I bare witness to it because my outlook and focus has changed. I've had set up event's in my community to give back with the hopes it spread and become normal. I've help my wife start a business so that examples can be set for those who face the same challenges. To know that we must remain resilient and never allow this corrupt system to keep us quiet. More important we as people need to open our eyes to what going and what been going on. I thank my wife, family, friends and anyone else who has taking time out to hear my words. But it's bigger then on person or story people are wrongfully convicted everyday at a alarming rate in this country most stories will go untold because most people lack the money or celebrity, to be heard and once convicted it becomes even harder because the system isn't forgiving and the mass majority lack knowledge of the law, and are held accountable for the jobs their trail lawyers did  who in most cases was provided by the courts. They lawyers who are under paid and who case loads maybe into the hundred while trying to defend you without proper resources, so please we all must stay woke. We are in an era where criminal justice is a topic for reform where Meek Mill, Jay-Z , Rick Ross, Yandy Smith-Harris and countless other are speaking out, we all have an obligation to step up and whether you are directly or indirectly affected. Please sign this petition to FREE CHAMPAGNE SMITH