Promise of Justice Initiative Client Jermaine Hudson is Exonerated After Serving 22 Years in Prison on a Jim Crow Jury Conviction
Hudson to be released after witness recanted testimony that implicated him
NEW ORLEANS – The Promise of Justice Initiative (PJI) announced today that Jermaine Hudson has been exonerated after serving 22 years of a 99-year sentence due to a non-unanimous Jim Crow jury conviction. Hudson was 21 years old at the time of his trial, and received the maximum sentence of 99 years based on the testimony of a witness who has recently recanted.
Hudson was represented by PJI and Milbank LLP.
“Mr. Hudson’s case illustrates the systemic problems with the accuracy of cases decided by non-unanimous juries,” said Jamila Johnson, Managing Attorney for PJI’s Jim Crow Juries Project. “We knew when we started looking into these cases that these kinds of injustices would be revealed. Those two jurors knew there was something wrong with the story being told. By silencing their voices, Mr. Hudson spent 21 years in prison on a 99-year sentence. We need to re-examine all non-unanimous jury cases across the Louisiana.
“Today the District attorney acted swiftly and with integrity, something we have rarely seen in the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office before this administration. ” said Mercedes Montagnes, Executive Director of PJI. “We applaud District Attorney Williams for continuing to follow through on his commitment to review all non-unanimous jury convictions in Orleans Parish, and will continue to work with his team to restore justice to all who are serving time due to this relic of Jim Crow.”
After his conviction was officially overturned in today’s hearing, Mr. Hudson was scheduled for imminent release from the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.
“I am speechless right now,” said Hudson when he heard the news the man who had accused him of robbery had recanted his statement. “I am thanking the Lord and him for coming forward. I forgive him. It has been 22 years but I forgive him with a pure heart. He took 22 years from me but I’m still young and have a life ahead of me.“
CONTACT: Laura Swinford, laura@gpsimpact.com
Milbank LLP is an international law firm with about 765 lawyers headquartered in New York City. It also has offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, London, Frankfurt, Munich, Tokyo, Hong Kong, São Paulo, Seoul, Singapore, and Beijing.