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Dobbs Ferry Native Deskovic To Speak About False Conviction, Imprisonment

DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. -- Mercy College welcomes back to campus alumnus Jeffrey Deskovic, who will discuss his story and the current flaws in the legal system. 

Jeffrey Deskovic

Jeffrey Deskovic

Photo Credit: Contributed

The Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice presents "Wrongful Conviction Day," Thursday, at 10:30 a.m., in the French Auditorium Mercy College Bronx Campus.

In 1990, then 17- year-old Deskovic was wrongly convicted of raping, beating and strangling his Peekskill High School classmate Angela Correa. 

After serving 16 years in prison, Deskovic was exonerated using DNA. 

The DNA from the crime scene was tested and produced a match to another prison inmate who confessed to the crime. 

He was exonerated with the help of The Innocence Project. 

The Center for Criminal and Social Justice is sponsoring the event that will acknowledge Wrongful Conviction Day, on Friday. 

Along with Deskovic, Rodney Roberts will also speak about the events that led to his wrongful conviction and the aftermath following his exoneration. Roberts spent 17 years incarcerated prior to being exonerated by DNA evidence in New Jersey. 

Event Coordinator and Criminal Justice Assistant Professor Doug Evans said: “They will discuss their stories and the importance of proposed policies that hold prosecutors responsible for misconduct; currently they have complete immunity from any backlash, even if they knowingly withhold exculpatory evidence.” 

Dean Karol Dean said, “Jeffery works incessantly to change the systemic problems that can result in wrongful convictions by speaking to the public, writing articles, lobbying for legislative change, testifying in state hearings and training police and prosecutors." 

"He has received multiple awards, and serves on the advisory boards of groups working to stop wrongful conviction and support prisoner re-entry into society," Dean said.

The Mercy College Bronx Campus is at 1200 Waters Place, Bronx.

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