Thank you for your interest in supporting PJI’s mission to reform the criminal justice system and abolish the death penalty.
Our projects focus on ending the death penalty, fixing inhumane conditions of confinement, exposing prosecutorial and judicial misconduct, eliminating poor representation of criminal defendants, and ending racial discrimination in the criminal justice system.
East Baton Rouge Parish Prison Project
Following the killing of Alton Sterling by Baton Rouge Police officers in July 2016, many people gathered in Baton Rouge to peacefully protest. Concerned family members, community members, and mourning friends of Alton Sterling faced a highly militarized and aggressive Baton Rouge Police Department.
Many of these wrongfully arrested protesters were shuttled to the notorious East Baton Rouge Parish Prison (EBRPP) where they were exposed to dangerous, inhumane conditions of confinement, and intentionally humiliating treatment. The Promise of Justice Initiative authored Punished Protesters: Conditions in East Baton Rouge Parish Prison to expose those conditions.
Since publishing the report and hosting community coalitions, PJI has partnered with The Fair Fight Initiative* to combat the inhumane conditions at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. This partnership, along with our stakeholders, allows PJI to provide the best representation against some of the most unacceptable prison conditions we have ever witnessed. Please join our fight!
*FFI's 501(c)(3) status is pending.
The Corey Williams Freedom Fund
In 1998, Corey Williams, was barely 16, when he was arrested for first degree murder. He was convicted and sent to death row. After years of tirelessly fighting for Corey, and public outcry over the troubling circumstances of his case, Corey is being released as a result of a negotiated settlement with the Caddo Parish District Attorney's Office. Since he was charged, Corey Williams has always insisted on his innocence. His Petition for Certiorari was pending at the United States Supreme Court, and joined by a series of amici including Former Prosecutors and Department of Justice officials, The Innocence Project of New Orleans, and the Fair Punishment Project.
Given the prospect of years more time in prison fighting his conviction, and the uncertainty of justice in the courts, today Corey pled guilty to lesser offenses in an agreement that allowed him to walk out of prison.
Corey will have nothing but the prison shirt on his back when he walks out of Angola, a free man after 20 years of painful incarceration. You can help him rebuild his life. Please consider donating to help Corey get on his feet and start his life over.
You can learn more about the horrific injustice Corey was dealt on our website, or in Slate, The Brennan Center for Justice,The New York Times, and The Marshall Project.
We also accept checks and money orders made payable to The Promise of Justice Initiative:
636 Baronne Street
New Orleans, LA 70113
Please include your contact information.