Interview questions Jeff is ready to dig into. Copy them, tweak them, or bring your own.
1You spent 16 years in prison for a crime you did not commit before DNA testing proved your innocence. When you look back now, what were the key failures in the system that allowed your wrongful conviction to happen?
2Can you walk us through the moment you first realized your confession was coerced and how that shaped your path to advocacy?
3Many people assume wrongful convictions are rare accidents. From your experience as an exoneree, attorney, and foundation founder, what do people most misunderstand about how innocent people end up in prison?
4What specific changes do you recommend to prevent coerced confessions, especially for minors in police interrogation settings?
5Your foundation has helped free 15 people and supported nine legislative reforms. What does the exoneration process actually look like behind the scenes, especially in cases where DNA evidence is not available?
6You’ve said wrongful conviction work is not anti-law enforcement, but about accuracy and justice. How do you build support for reform among police, prosecutors, courts, and legislators?
7What are the most urgent policy changes needed to prevent wrongful convictions before they happen, particularly around false confessions, interrogation practices, and protections for young people?
8Your work sits at the intersection of personal experience, legal advocacy, and policy reform. How do you balance telling your own story with educating audiences on the broader systemic changes needed to prevent wrongful convictions?
9You’ve said that wrongful conviction reform is about accuracy and justice, not being anti-law enforcement. What does a more accurate justice system look like, and how can police, prosecutors, lawmakers, and citizens all play a role in building it?
10You’ve delivered hundreds of presentations across the U.S. and internationally, including to legal, educational, law enforcement, and advocacy audiences. What do you hope people take away from hearing you speak live?
11After everything you have lived through, what does “turning pain into purpose” mean to you — and what can listeners do if they want to support the work of freeing innocent people and preventing future wrongful convictions?