Jason Flom with Jeffrey Deskovic
Jeff Deskovic · October 1, 2026
About Jeff Deskovic
From Wrongful Conviction to Justice Reform: The Attorney and Exoneree Helping Free the Innocent
16 years Wrongfully imprisoned before DNA exoneration15 people Helped free through the Deskovic Foundation9 laws Helped pass to prevent wrongful convictions200+ Articles authored on justice reform
Jeffrey Deskovic is a wrongful conviction expert, attorney, speaker, exoneree, and founder of The Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice, where he works to free innocent people and change the laws that allow wrongful convictions to happen in the first place.
His mission is rooted in lived experience. Arrested as a teenager and wrongfully convicted at 17, Jeffrey spent 16 years in prison for a murder and rape he did not commit. He was finally exonerated in 2006 through DNA testing, after the actual perpetrator was identified. Rather than allowing that injustice to define the rest of his life, Jeffrey used his compensation, education, and hard-earned insight to build a foundation dedicated to exoneration, policy reform, and public education.
Since his release, Jeffrey has become one of the most credible voices in the wrongful conviction space. He earned a master’s degree in criminal justice, completed law school, was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2020, and now practices criminal defense while continuing to lead his foundation’s casework and reform efforts. His organization has helped free 15 people and supported nine legislative reforms designed to prevent future wrongful convictions.
Jeffrey’s work and story have also been featured on screen.
About this episode
Jeffrey Deskovic’s first Wrongful Conviction episode was originally published in 2017, and his story is one we’ve returned to many times over the years — not only because of the 16 years he lost in prison for a murder he didn’t commit, but because of what he chose to do with his life after he was finally exonerated.Jeffrey’s story also has an extraordinary connection to two cases we’ve recently revisited on this show: Andrew Krivak and Anthony DiPippo. The same polygraph operator who helped extract a false confession from Jeffrey when he was just 16 years old was later involved in the interrogation that produced Andy Krivak’s false confession. And years later, Jeffrey and the Deskovic Foundation helped fight to free Andy — Jeffrey even put up his own home as collateral for Andy’s bail.If you’ve been listening to Bone Valley: The Devil’s Quarry, Jeffrey’s story provides important context for the cases of Anthony DiPippo and Andy Krivak — and for how wrongful convictions like these happen in the first place.Also, be sure to check out 16 Years, a film by Jia Rizvi about Jeffrey’s wrongful conviction and the work he’s done since.
Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.
We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Guest: Jeff Deskovic
More from Jeff Deskovic
All episodes →
You Are A Lawyer: Take Risks and Change Careers in LawFrom Exonerated to Attorney and Advocate feat. Jeffrey DeskovicSep 2026Play episode →
The Infamous Ex-ChiefJeffrey Deskovic: Wrongfully Convicted at 16, Exonerated by DNA After 16 YearsAug 2026Play episode →Book Jeff Deskovic for your show
4+ podcast & stage appearances. Remote or in studio, broadcast-grade audio.