My husband, an innocent man, has been incarcerated for 10 years now, serving a sentence of 21 years to life in prison for a crime he did not commit. This injustice is not only tearing our family apart but has resulted in an able-bodied member of society being unjustly removed from the community.

Despite having no concrete evidence that directly implicates him, my husband was found guilty largely based on his at-the-time girlfriend's coerced testimony. The DNA collected in the case could not be linked back to my husband, casting doubt upon the validity of the conviction. Subsequently, the key witness herself has since admitted that she was pressured by the DA to testify. She courageously admitted that her testimony was based on fabricated claims she was given by them after they threatened her with taking away her unborn child- an action that betrays the principles of justice we uphold.

The wrongful accusation and unjust incarceration echo thousands of similar cases in New York State alone. According to the National Registry of Exonerations, in the U.S, there have been over 2,663 people exonerated since 1 989, serving a combined 23,770 years behind bars (National Registry of Exonerations, annual report).

l am, thus, calling upon New York State's governor, Kathy Hochul, and all advocates of justice, to review and re-examine this case as an urgent matter. We deeply believe in the essential principles of justice. Let us seek fairness and justice not just for my husband but for all wrongly convicted individuals in New York state and the U.S. Please sign this petition asking for a pardon for my wrongfully convicted husband. Your signature can bring an innocent man home and restore trust in our justice system.