Wrongful Convictions: Like Father, Like Son?

Clifford Williams Jr. and his nephew, Nathan Myers, were released from prison in 2019 after 43 years of being wrongfully convicted of murder. Already suffering from early onset dementia, Williams wasn't really able to celebrate his release, nor to enjoy his freedom before his death earlier this year. He was given close to 2 million dollars, but no amount of money could possibly be worth time spent on death row, and an entire lifetime in prison. Now, 48 years after Williams' wrongful conviction in 1976, his son, Clifford Walker, is reliving in his father's footsteps. Walker is more than halfway through a 35-year sentence for murder, a crime he contends he didn't commit. We've reviewed the evidence, and we believe he's telling the truth. Cliff Walker was attempting to buy some marijuana in a parking lot. He was unarmed and got into a car to finalize the deal. But the two men in the car had other plans. They noticed his big wad of cash and attempted to rob him. As he wrestled the gun away, shots were fired, and one of the robbers was killed. Clifford Walker received a 35-year sentence for first-degree reckless homicide. He is now on year 19 of his sentence. His father died earlier this year.

To us, it seemed almost incomprehensible that two men, a father and son, could both suffer the same fate at the hands of over-zealous prosecutors, botched investigations, and a careless judge. However, when we reviewed a report on wrongful conviction statistics, published by the National Registry of Exonerations, we learned that wrongful convictions in the USA are far more common than one might think. In fact, anywhere from 2% to 10% of all men and women serving jail and prison time in America are wrongfully convicted. This could be over 200,000 people.

In this week's episode, we interview PenPals.Buzz member Clifford Walker about his childhood growing up without a father, the injustice his family faced for decades, and the circumstances surrounding Cliff's own conviction almost 30 years after his dad's. Was he, too, wrongly convicted? Is he following in his father's footsteps? Should someone take another look at the case? The evidence suggests yes. We concur.