NEW: A #Massachusetts man whose nearly 30-year-old murder conviction was thrown out in May is appealing a judge’s ruling that he be held without bail—a decision his attorneys say could keep him behind bars for years while he continues fighting to clear his name. #mapoli

The land of the free? Not so much. As the U.S. turns 250 years old, here's what you should know about that country's carceral system. 🧵

None of us are free until ALL OF US are free.

“Gov. Ayotte just ensured that innocent people will remain behind bars in New Hampshire….” We’re disappointed but the fight isn’t over. newhampshirebulletin.com/2026/07/02/a...

Our 2026 Impact Report is live! Together, over the last year, we've: > Helped secure people's freedom; > Supported 88 formerly incarcerated people & family members through 29 programs; > Filed 12 amicus briefs challenging the criminal legal system. Check it out & support with a matched gift by 6/30!

NEW: The #Massachusetts Appeals Court on April 21 overturned a man’s drug-trafficking convictions after the lead investigator, a Brockton police detective who was later promoted to lieutenant, made “materially false” statements when applying for a search warrant a decade ago. #mapoli

I am begging people to realize that police do not use this technology is not a "jumping off point" or an "investigative lead"--the computer spits out a name and police arrest that person without follow up. How many people have to spend months in jail "by accident" before we consider the danger?

NEW: After Brian Peixoto’s 1997 murder conviction was thrown out due to new scientific evidence, a Fall River judge is considering whether to grant him bail while prosecutors appeal the ruling. #Massachusetts

Well worth 6 minutes of your time today: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/27/o...

Today marks 6 years since the murder of George Floyd. During that time, more Americans have questioned the role and practices of police in society — and hoped for meaningful reform. So, what does the state of policing look like now, 6 years later? 🧵

Police contact of any kind is not innocuous: most police killings start with officers responding to a suspected non-violent situation or a case where no crime has been reported.

New Hampshire has a restrictive three-year deadline on requests for new trials. This means that if new evidence is discovered or a confession proves someone’s innocence — they’re out of luck. Help us urge Gov. Kelly Ayotte to pass HB 1422: https://bit.ly/46lIu1c @newenglandinnocence.org

It is an outrage that exoneree Tommy Rosa has to fight to get, AT MOST, $1 million for the 34 years he was in prison. You can help us change this: Contact your MA senator THIS WEEK & ask them to co-sponsor/support budget amendments 891 & 892. Learn more: www.newenglandinnocence.org/innocence-bl...

MA RESIDENTS: EXONEREES NEED YOUR HELP THIS WEEK! Right now, we have a real chance to support families impacted by wrongful conviction. Please call/email your MA senator & ask them to co-sponsor/support Senate budget amendments 891 & 892. Learn more at www.newenglandinnocence.org/innocence-bl...

A reminder during National Reentry Week: Guaranteed income keeps people out of prison, helps them find stable employment, and saves taxpayers money. The U.S. would be much better off investing in people's well-being instead of locking them up.

There are many court crises right now throughout the country, incl. in MA. This piece details the significant injustice of not having a lawyer to fight for you. But the foundational truth is that none of this criminal bureaucracy is about public safety at all. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Unhoused people are most commonly booked for a top charge of trespassing — a charge frequently used to criminalize people for having nowhere else to go. Guess what would likely solve that problem? Housing, not jail.

Artificial intelligence apparently has the same vulnerability as humans when it comes to false confessions: It also folds (falsely) when faced with commonly used police tactics. ChatGPT Confessed to a Crime It Couldn’t Possibly Have Committed theintercept.com/2026/04/23/c...

Please help us find a new Development Director to join our team! Do you know anyone committed to community-centric fundraising & building resources to fight injustice in the criminal legal system? Share this & tell folks to check out the posting and apply by May 8: newenglandinnocence.org/careers

Join members of our community for the premiere screening of “The Dreaming Game,” a short documentary featuring exoneree Raymond Gaines, at @iffboston.bsky.social on 4/25 at 8:45 PM and 4/26 at 12 PM at @somervilletheatre.bsky.social. Purchase tickets: iffboston.org/events/thedr.... #IFFBoston2026

Keeping up with rising costs of living is tough for anyone, and for justice-impacted folks, it's almost impossible Formerly incarcerated people earn 84 cents for every dollar of the U.S. median wage How is anyone supposed to succeed when the deck is always stacked against them?

Each year, 2.7 million jail admissions are for misdemeanor charges. Yes, this includes charges for behaviors like jaywalking or even sitting on a sidewalk.

70% of all people in jails are legally innocent. Many of them are held behind bars simply because they cannot afford bail. Money bail perpetuates an endless cycle of poverty and jail time.

It’s official! Thomas Rosa is the 100th exoneree from MA. He spent 34 years in prison for a Boston murder he did not commit. He’s already suffered through 40 years, 3 trials, & many losses. But now, we can celebrate along with his family and partners @loevy.com & Boston College Innocence Program.

Our work is about resisting injustice and celebrating the joy of freedom. This year, we honor both at our annual storytelling event, Voices of the Innocent: Resistance & Joy, on September 17, at City Winery Boston. Sponsor this life-changing work here: www.newenglandinnocence.org/voicesofthei...

Over 10 years, 98% of medical grievances filed in federal prisons were rejected — mostly because of ridiculous administrative reasons, like using the wrong size sheet of paper. The system works exactly how it's designed to: Thwart complaints & dodge accountability at every turn.

The Supreme Court refuses to review the 5th Circuit's extremely dubious ruling against Rodney Reed's request for a DNA test, which could prove the death row inmate's innocence. (There is a very good chance he is innocent!) All three liberals dissent. www.supremecourt.gov/orders/court...

Thousands of people detained by ICE are actually held in local, publicly operated jails. These facilities–run by elected sheriffs–are making money off of the federal government's deportation agenda.

Right now, 657,000 people in the U.S. are in jail. The vast majority have yet to be tried in court and are legally innocent. Does that look like a system built on justice?

After 34 years in prison, Thomas Rosa speaks out after learning he won’t be retried in murder case | Click on the image to read the full story

Man freed after 30 years won’t be retried in 1985 Dorchester murder | Click on the image to read the full story

More than 40 years after his wrongful arrest & after spending 34 years in prison for a Boston murder he did not commit, THOMAS ROSA is FINALLY EXONERATED. We are overjoyed that this nightmare is over. Mr. Rosa will be the 100th person officially exonerated in Massachusetts since 1989.

Tommy Rosa is finally exonerated. Long overdue, but it’s never too late to celebrate freedom or justice. www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/18/m...

We are proud to have partnered with our colleagues at @newenglandinnocence.org to bring about a day Mr. Rosa has literally been waiting decades to see. "This exoneration doesn’t erase the past, but it restores truth, dignity, and hope for the future,” Mr. Rosa and his wife, Virginia, stated.

More than 40 years after his wrongful arrest & after spending 34 years in prison for a Boston murder he did not commit, THOMAS ROSA is FINALLY EXONERATED. We are overjoyed that this nightmare is over. Mr. Rosa will be the 100th person officially exonerated in Massachusetts since 1989.

In the #GideonvWainwright case, SCOTUS ruled 63 yrs ago: “lawyers in criminal courts are necessities, not luxuries.” Among those excluded were those facing deportation. In the age of mass deportations, immigrants face the full power of the federal government—without a lawyer.

63 years ago today, Gideon v. Wainwright established the right to counsel for those charged with a crime Public defenders are vital to ensuring that people have representation in the legal system. Unfortunately, all too often, public defense systems are underfunded & overworked.

Research shows that more diverse juries are less quick to convict, and that they deliberate longer and more carefully. A landmark reform by former Governor Phil Murphy in January will make the jury pool in New Jersey more representative of the state.

It’s hard to believe we had to fight so hard to do dna testing in a case in which we were paying for the testing and where the results could provide answers for so many, but it’s a good example of how much resistance we face to expose truths. This fight helps us honor the dying wish of our client.

Police contact of any kind is not innocuous: most police killings start with officers responding to a suspected non-violent situation or a case where no crime has been reported.

It’s hard to believe we had to fight so hard to do dna testing in a case in which we were paying for the testing and where the results could provide answers for so many, but it’s a good example of how much resistance we face to expose truths. This fight helps us honor the dying wish of our client.

MYTH: Some people need to go to jail to get treatment REALITY: Most people in local jails have substance use disorders, yet only a tiny fraction of jails provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder. Jails are designed for punishment, not care.

The Massachusetts Department of Correction has been fighting me for months, trying to withhold data about its collaboration with ICE. Yesterday, I won that fight, and obtained records showing that the state has transferred more than 2,000 people into ICE custody since 2009. A quick thread:

Left, my story about how the right wing ex-Honduran president was given special treatment after he was pardoned for drug trafficking - and had his ICE detainer dropped. Right, a story about a man who spent 43 yrs in prison for a wrongful conviction & was deported once his convicted was overturned

"In fact, Massachusetts is the only state that voted against Donald Trump in 2024 where a state agency is contracting with the 287(g) program." #mapoli boltsmag.org/massachusett...

The current demands and suggested action items are here: bit.ly/southbayactionhour There is also another toolkit available here: bit.ly/ShutDownSouthBay And there will be another in-person stand out at the Roxbury courthouse on Warren Street this Tuesday, 2/10 at 10 AM. #bospoli

It is unacceptable that a man was killed in the Sheriff’s Department custody, neither the Boston mayor nor Governor has said his name, & the office “investigating” this tragedy is simultaneously prosecuting the witnesses against the officers (who are still working there), a clear conflict. Shame!

It is unacceptable that a man was killed in the Sheriff’s Department custody, neither the Boston mayor nor Governor has said his name, & the office “investigating” this tragedy is simultaneously prosecuting the witnesses against the officers (who are still working there), a clear conflict. Shame!

This has barely gotten any attention even though it should be one of the biggest stories in #Massachusetts. While Maura Healey was attorney general, the Attorney General's Office covered up evidence that hundreds of thousands of criminal convictions may have been tainted by criminal misconduct.

In New Hampshire, law enforcement interrogations are not legally required to be recorded, leaving innocent people more vulnerable to wrongful convictions based on false confessions. Help the @newenglandinnocence.org change that: https://bit.ly/3ZJvKgZ