This commencement season, scholars from across the country will see their hard work pay off as they receive their diplomas and transition from student to alumni. Ask any recent graduate about their experiences and you will most certainly hear accounts of dedication and perseverance. One narrative in particular shines a light on a man’s inspirational story that took him from inmate to attorney.
Jarrett Adams was only 17 years old when he was convicted of rape and sentenced to serve 28 years in a Wisconsin prison. Adams spent his days playing chess and basketball, all the while maintaining his innocence. That all changed when his cellmate, after looking over Adams’ case, convinced him to fight to have the conviction overturned.
Adams himself studied the law and started writing letters. With help from the Wisconsin Innocence Project he was exonerated after 10 years behind bars.
A month after his release Adams started community college and then graduated from Roosevelt University with honors.
He says he hopes his graduation from Loyola Law School rewards the devotion of his mother and aunts , who stood with him for the decade he was prison. (Williams, chicago.cbslocal.com)
Adams looks forward to being able to help those that were wrongfully accused or low-income. A GoFundMe page has been established to help cover expenses related to serving as a Public Interest Fellow with The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit- the same court that set him on his inspirational path by reversing his wrongful conviction.
Source: Chicago CBS Local
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