Nelson Cruz Homecoming Fund

After serving nearly a quarter of a century in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Nelson Cruz--a husband, a father of two, and a self-taught advocate for the wrongfully convicted from East New York, Brooklyn--will be released on parole in March 2023. Nelson is a phenomenally caring, intelligent, and hard-working individual, whose absence has been sorely felt by his friends and family since he was incarcerated as a teenager.

Nelson is one of the many New Yorkers wrongfully convicted after an investigation by corrupt NYPD detectives Louis Scarcella and Stephen Chmil, who, by manufacturing evidence and coercing confessions, worked to convict over twenty innocent people who have since been formally exonerated. Throughout his twenty-four years of wrongful incarceration, Nelson has never let his misfortune cloud his faith, compassion, sense of humor, or commitment to justice. Upon release, he plans to continue working towards formally clearing his name, and to use his legal training to fight for others in his position.

Nelson's return is eagerly awaited by his wife, his step-daughter, and his newborn daughter. All funds raised will go directly to Nelson's family to offset his reentry costs, including clothes, baby supplies, transportation expenses, and saving up to move into a new home for his growing family.

To hear more about Nelson’s ongoing fight to overturn his wrongful conviction in his own words: https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/s12e38-wrongful-conviction-with-jason-flom-nelson-cruz/