Rodney Derrickson is
INNOCENT
Making an Exoneree 2021:
The Story of Rodney Derrickson
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At ten, Rodney went to bed every night fearing the gunshots outside his window. Seven years later, he was blamed for them.
When he was only 17, Rodney was sentenced to life, and 28 years later his name has not been cleared. The police did a half-hearted investigation of a botched drug deal and pinned it on the most vulnerable Black man they could find. How do the police pin a murder on someone even though witnesses said he was sleeping at home at the time? In Rodney Derrickson’s case, the Chester Police Department coerced a false confession from their key witness and destroyed all the evidence before it could get tested.
Prisoners’ Lives Matter - A Poem by Rodney Derrickson
“In prisons all across the United States of America, prisoners are suffering abuse, mistreatment, and the outright denial of humanity because of our status as prisoners. Prisoners Lives Matter!
Prisoners are oppressed, beaten, tear gassed, isolated, murdered, denied our dignity, humanity, and status as citizens of this country under the guise of security and control. Prisoners’ Lives Matter!
The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment against prisoners. Prisoners’ Lives Matter!
Prisoners are grandmothers, mothers, sisters, aunts, daughters, nieces, grandfathers, fathers, brothers, uncles, sons, nephews, and citizens of this country. Prisoners’ Lives Matter!
Prisoners deserve human dignity, respect, compassion, care, and non-discriminatory treatment while serving prison sentences. Prisoners’ Lives Matter!
Prisons are places for people who committed offenses against society to find opportunities for redemption, repentance, restoration, rehabilitation, treatment, transformation, education, and mercy in order to one day return back to society as reformed and productive citizens. Prisoners’ Lives Matter!”
“Prison is a college for a wise man, and a playhouse for a fool.”
– Rodney Shaheed Derrickson
