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This Giving Tuesday, you can make the gift of freedom. Every donation helps uncover the truth and bring hope to those overlooked by the justice system. Join us in standing for justice and helping more people like Eric regain their freedom.

(5/5) If Eric’s story moves you, please consider supporting his GoFundMe to help him rebuild his life and ensure that wrongfully convicted people across Tennessee have the resources they need to thrive: www.gofundme.com/f/help-eric-...

(4/5) Eric was released from prison last month, and he was officially exonerated in a Shelby County court yesterday, November 18th. As we celebrate this 10th exoneration, we are inspired by Eric’s resilience and the dedication of our attorneys that made this day possible. Congratulations, Eric!

(3/5) In 2024, the Tennessee Innocence Project filed a petition for new fingerprint testing through the AFIS database. The results identified an alternative suspect, providing the first physical evidence of the actual perpetrator, who had no connection to Eric.

(2/5) Eric Wright was arrested in 1989 for a South Memphis robbery and shooting and sentenced to 150 years in prison, despite no physical evidence linking him to the crime. His conviction relied on a single, cross-racial eyewitness identification and a fatally flawed photo lineup.

7/7 Ricky Lee Webb is now one of the longest-serving exonerees in U.S. history. Today, we celebrate his resilience and the tireless work of those who fought for his freedom. Happy Freedom Anniversary, Ricky!

6/7 In August 2024, TIP presented this evidence. Judge Roy Morgan, Jr. overturned Ricky’s conviction, quoting Dr. King: “An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Ricky was formally exonerated on Halloween 2024.

5/7 TIP also found that Carl Ray had schizophrenia and had been coerced into testifying. The TBI used racist threats against both him and Ricky’s alibi witness, forcing her to change her story.

4/7 Decades later, in 2021, Ricky wrote to the Tennessee Innocence Project. TIP uncovered hundreds of pages of suppressed evidence, including Carl Ray’s detailed confession that he acted alone.

3/7 Carl Ray took a plea deal 18 months later and testified against Ricky. His unreliable testimony was the only evidence at trial. Ricky, with no criminal record, offered five alibi witnesses. Still, he was convicted by an all-white jury.

2/7 In 1976, a 29-year-old mother was raped and murdered in Milan, TN. Seventeen-year-old Carl Ray Webb was arrested and later implicated his uncle, Ricky, despite no physical evidence linking him to the crime.

7/7- We celebrate Eric’s freedom and the resilience he showed through decades of wrongful imprisonment. And we continue our fight for those still behind bars. Every story like Eric’s underscores why TIP’s work matters. 💙 www.tninnocence.org/newsreleases...

6/7- Eric’s release coincides with International Wrongful Conviction Day, a day to honor the wrongfully convicted worldwide and raise awareness about the causes and consequences of these injustices.

5/7- Today, Eric is reunited with his family after nearly four decades apart. This is a moment of freedom he fought tirelessly for, and one that reminds us of the human cost of wrongful convictions.

4/7- Eric Wright never gave up hope, as his attorney, TIP Legal Director Jessica Van Dyke, emphasizes: “Eric is a man of faith, and he did not give up that hope that one day the truth of his innocence would be heard. I am incredibly excited to see what Eric does next with his freedom.”

3/7- For decades, Eric maintained his innocence. In 2024, TIP petitioned for fingerprint testing on evidence from the crime scene. The results identified one of the actual perpetrators—someone with no connection to Eric.

2/7 - Eric was arrested in 1989 for a Memphis robbery and assault with intent to murder. Convicted in 1990, his case relied solely on a single, flawed eyewitness ID. No physical evidence linked him to the crime.