Help Shaun rebuild his life

My name is Shaun Jenkins, and I spent 19 years in prison for a murder that I did not commit.

The photo that I shared in this fundraiser was taken on September 24, 2021, the day I was released from court. Although I was freed from prison that afternoon, I was not fully exonerated until a few days before Christmas, when the judge vacated my conviction, and the prosecutor dismissed the charges. The judge found that my conviction was "seriously tainted" by government misconduct: both the police and the prosecutor withheld important evidence that could have helped me show my innocence. As District Attorney Rachael Rollins, stated, "it is clear that justice was not done," and the errors in my case "were too much for the Commonwealth to defend in any way under my administration."

It's not easy to talk about what it's like to lose 19 years to a wrongful conviction. When I first went to prison, I had a two-year-old son and another on the way. I did my best to stay in their lives, but both of them ended up in foster care. My parents passed away, neither one living long enough to know about my exoneration.

Because I was serving a "life without parole" sentence, I also lost out on opportunities to participate in many educational and job training programs available to people serving shorter sentences. Getting out, I had no money, no car, no access to meaningful employment. I have my freedom, but I am missing many of the tools I need to make the most of that freedom.

I have many hopes and dreams. But I need help to gain my independence and rebuild my family and life. Any donation of any amount will help me.

Thank you, and have a good day!

Shaun Jenkins

January 28, 2022