Heather Weigand of the Life After Exoneration Program is featured in an exciting, exclusive, in-depth and inside interview with exoneree Timothy Atkins discussing
Headline Civil Rights News. After 20 years in prison for a killing that a key witness says he didn't commit, Timothy Watkins is a free man because of the tireless efforts of Heather Weigand and the Life After Exoneration Program. In light of recanted testimony, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael A. Tynan overturned Atkins' conviction and ordered his immediate release. Tynan was the trial judge in 1987 when Atkins was convicted of second-degree murder and two counts of robbery and sentenced to 32 years in prison.
Heather Weigand serves as the Life After Exoneration Program's Director of Client Services and New Programs. She began modeling policy and service provision in 2005 for the exonerated in the Western Region of the United States. Currently, her efforts are directed to developing and providing exemplary services to the exonerated in California and Texas. This includes delivery of a regional policy & service model that can be replicated in states with the highest population of exonerees. In conjunction with her co-director, she oversees the board building, development, fund raising, advocacy, public education and lobbying efforts for this unique grass roots organization. Heather incubated the very first "Council of the Wrongfully Convicted", an exoneree-led council and leadership program and still acts as its primary advisor.
The Life After Exoneration Program is the only national organization dedicated to helping survivors of wrongful conviction re-enter society and rebuild their lives. The Life After Exoneration Program is working to ensure that exonerees have access to badly needed services, and is helping to build a community of the exonerated. The Life After Exoneration Program is supporting policy reform on behalf of the exonerated.
Over 400 exonerees in our country have proven their innocence and been released from prison after having been convicted of crimes they did not commit. On average, they serve more than 12 years in prison before release.
Featured Guest
Heather Weigand: Program Director of Client Services and New Programs
Life After Exoneration
weigand@exonerated.org
www.exonerated.org
510-292-6010
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