The Deskovic Foundation

Jeffrey Deskovic was 17 when he was wrongfully convicted for rape and murder. After 16 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit, Deskovic sued the people ressponsible for his wrongful conviction and used the money he was given to start The Deskovic Foundation for Justice. Read more about Deskovic and his foundation here. 

Below is an excerpt from The Deskovic Foundation's about page that does a great job at explaining who they are and what they do: 

The Deskovic Foundation is a New York based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to exonerating the wrongfully convicted both in DNA and non-DNA cases, as well as wrongful conviction prevention. The Foundation was established as a result of Jeffrey Deskovic’s own wrongful conviction at the age of 17 of the rape and murder of a 15 year old girl.  Authorities knew his DNA did not match that of the actual perpetrator – who, three years later, went on to murder another young woman and mother of two – but rogue police officers, prosecutors, and other law enforcement personnel knowingly and maliciously accused, prosecuted, and eventually secured his conviction. After his exoneration and release after sixteen years in prison, Deskovic successfully sued the authorities responsible and used a substantial portion of the compensation he was awarded to start the Deskovic Foundation.

The Deskovic Foundation seeks to aid other wrongfully convicted prisoners. They are not a criminal defense organization, they only work for and help defend prisoners sitting behind bars for crimes that they did not commit. 

While similar to the Innocence Project, The Deskovic Foundation is unique in that they were founded and lead by a fellow exoneree. Jeffrey Deskovic knows what prisoners are going through and this work is deeply personal to him. They are just getting started and have already helped exonerate two people.  They are a foundation to follow.