Wrongly convicted man who spent nearly 2 decades in prison for murder speaks to students
He shared his story of his hope and resilience with a group of students at Ossining High School on Friday.
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A former inmate who spent years at a Westchester prison for a murder he didn't commit shared his story with some high schoolers in Ossining on Friday.
Eric Glisson said his story is living proof that America's justice system isn't perfect.
"I was incarcerated unjustly for 17 years and nine months," Glisson said.
Glisson said he was wrongly convicted for the murder of a cabdriver in the Bronx, back in the 1990s.
He spent years advocating for his innocence while he was behind bars - a hard-fought battle that he said he ultimately won.
"My conviction was overturned and my life was given back to me," Glisson said.
He shared his story of his hope and resilience with a group of students at Ossining High School on Friday.
The high school is located just minutes away from Sing Sing prison, a place where Glisson spent many years of his life.
"I'm just giving back to the community as much as I can and hoping these students will grow up to be productive adults that will go into the justice arena...and they will do the right thing whenever a situation like this comes to them," Glisson said.
Glisson came to the school with an investigate producer who also told his story.
The two men were asked to speak by a long-time educator named Samuel North.
"I just wanted to raise awareness and really to get these guys in front of young people because they're the future," North said.
Jade, a student who attended the event, said the speech gave her a new perspective into the criminal justice system.
"This is something like we don't really learn in the classes," the student said.
Glisson said he hopes his speech ultimately inspires the students to be steadfast.
"A lot of jurors feel pressure to just say 'guilty' so they can go. But, I'm asking you to standup for people who can't really speak," Glisson said.
