# Petition for Justice: Free Brandon Jackson and Demand Accountability in Arapahoe County

*To the People of Colorado, the Office of the District Attorney for the 18th Judicial District, and all concerned public officials:*

This petition calls for justice in the case of Brandon Jackson, a man who has spent over a decade incarcerated for a murder he maintains he did not commit — and whose conviction was overturned in June 2026 due to prosecutorial misconduct. Despite this critical legal development, Mr. Jackson remains incarcerated while the Arapahoe County District Attorney's Office considers an appeal. The office has a limited window of time to appeal the court's decision, yet there are growing concerns that procedural tactics and unnecessary motions may be used to delay his release rather than pursue justice.

Mr. Jackson's continued imprisonment raises serious concerns about fairness, due process, race relations, and the integrity of the original prosecution. When a conviction is overturned, it is not a minor procedural event — it is a formal recognition that something in the legal process went wrong. In cases like this, such reversals are often tied to violations of constitutional rights, including the failure to disclose evidence favorable to the defense, the use of unreliable or false testimony to obtain a conviction, and efforts to deprive a defendant of exculpatory testimony through witness intimidation.

- Under *Brady v. Maryland*, 373 U.S. 83 (1963), prosecutors are required to disclose any evidence that could help prove a defendant's innocence.
- Under *Napue v. Illinois*, 360 U.S. 264 (1959), prosecutors are prohibited from knowingly using false testimony to secure a conviction.
- Under *Webb v. Texas*, 409 U.S. 95, 98 (1972), it is well established that substantial government interference with a defense witness's free and unhampered choice to testify amounts to a violation of due process.

These are not technical rules — they are fundamental safeguards meant to prevent wrongful convictions and protect the integrity of the justice system. The overturning of Mr. Jackson's conviction strongly suggests that one or more of these safeguards were violated and may have led to a wrongful conviction. At a minimum, it demonstrates that the original trial cannot be relied upon as a just determination of guilt. Yet despite this, Mr. Jackson remains behind bars, continuing to lose time, opportunity, and connection with his family, friends, and community.

During his incarceration, Mr. Jackson has worked to better himself and others. He has become a certified paralegal and is known as the "Jailhouse Lawyer" who helps incarcerated individuals understand their rights and prepare pro se motions and appeals. He is the published author of a fitness and wellness book, *PrisonBody: Recovery Through Fitness*, and he founded Free Brandon Jackson to raise awareness of his case and of the broader issue of wrongful convictions. His efforts reflect a commitment to justice, education, and accountability — values that should be recognized, not ignored.

Brandon is a husband and father to six children who desperately want their father home. He has maintained close relationships with his family and community and hopes to be reunited with them in the near future.

## This petition calls for three urgent actions:

1. **An immediate and thorough internal investigation** into the practices of the District Attorney's Office for the 18th Judicial District in Arapahoe County, Colorado, and the due process violations in this and other cases. Such an investigation should examine whether prosecutorial misconduct, racial discrimination, and failure to disclose evidence contributed to Mr. Jackson's wrongful conviction. Public trust in the justice system depends on transparency and accountability, especially in cases where a conviction has been overturned.

2. **A thorough investigation into the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Department's role** in the investigation and prosecution of case number 14CR1968, including any potential misconduct or procedural failures.

3. **Brandon Jackson's immediate release pending retrial.** Continued incarceration under these circumstances undermines the presumption of innocence and raises serious due process concerns. Where a conviction has been set aside, detention should not function as punishment in advance of a new and fair trial. After 12 years of incarceration, Brandon should be reunited with his wife and six children.

This is not about one man — it is about the credibility of the justice system as a whole. When wrongful convictions occur and are not meaningfully addressed, public confidence erodes, and the risk of future injustice grows.

We, the undersigned, stand in support of Brandon Jackson. We call on the appropriate authorities to act swiftly, transparently, and justly. We urge members of the public to sign this petition, share Mr. Jackson's story, and demand accountability.

Justice requires more than correcting errors — it requires confronting how those errors happened and ensuring they do not happen again.