MORGANTOWN, W. Va.—The West Virginia Innocence Project is hosting a screening of the award-winning Netflix documentary “13TH" on April 17 from 6-9 p.m. in room 153 at WVU Law.
Following the movie, a panel of WVU faculty and staff will lead a discussion on sociology, prison and race. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.
Directed by Ava DuVernay, “13TH” explores the striking racial disparities in the criminal justice system. One-third of African-American men will spend some part of their life in prison, according to the Sentencing Project, which collaborated on the film. In “13TH,” DuVernay pieces together a historic look at race in America starting with slavery and ending with the institutionalized racism of the American criminal justice system.
“Advocating and creating change starts by opening a dialogue about mass incarceration in our communities,” said lawyer Hope DeLap, the current Franklin D. Cleckley Fellow in the West Virginia Innocence Project.
Attendees to the screening of “13TH” can purchase concessions and raffle tickets for a variety of prizes. All funds raised will directly support the work of the West Virginia Innocence Project.
For more information on the screening and discussion, contact Anna Saab at 304-698-2662 or anna.saab.wvip@gmail.com.
About the West Virginia Innocence Project
A law clinic at the West Virginia University College of Law, WVIP aims to serve and to free people who are in prison for crimes they did not commit. It works to fix the problems that lead to wrongful convictions in the justice system and focus on those issues important to the people of West Virginia. By looking at the causes of wrongful imprisonment, WVIP helps its clients and helps end the cycle of wrongful incarceration.
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