Honoring Dan Bright: Support His Legacy

We are deeply saddened to share that IPNO’s former client Dan Bright passed away last week. For 21 years, Dan regularly came by IPNO’s office to provide support and encouragement to newly released men, and to visit with IPNO’s client services team. We will miss Dan so much.

At age 26, Dan was convicted of a crime he had nothing to do with and sent to death row. He was tried and sentenced to die in a one-day trial. His appointed attorney did not investigate his case and was intoxicated during trial. At trial, the State withheld FBI documents that named the real perpetrator and evidence that showed the State’s primary witness had reasons to lie. Dan was wrongfully incarcerated for 9 years, 3 months, and 7 days.

No one fought harder for Dan’s freedom than his mother Rose. From when Dan was a baby, she called him “Pooney” because he was such a tiny and so pretty “with big eyes and lots of hair.” She believed in her son’s innocence, did everything she could to gather proof, stood by him every day he was in prison, and then every day he was free.

Dan was 56 when he died. He was a loving father and grandfather, devoted son, published author, talented public speaker, entrepreneur, death penalty abolitionist, and a fierce advocate for exonerees and the people of New Orleans. He was also our friend.

We will remember Dan’s drive, his intelligence, how funny he was, and his big heart. He lived by the saying, “A man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.” Dan did his best to never waste a second of his, and all of us who knew him are better for it.