Tag Archives: innocence

The Long Road from Factual Innocence to Exoneration

Posted on November 28, 2025 by Justice for Willie

It is over a year since Willie Manning asked the Mississippi Supreme Court to reconsider its refusal to let him present newly discovered evidence to the circuit court. In his Motion for Rehearing he argued that the court erred in … Continue reading →

Posted in death penalty, exonerations, Mississippi, racism, USA, Willie Manning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Manning never told me that he killed anyone.”

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Justice for Willie

Ten years ago, Willie Manning came within an hour of execution, an experience that can only be described as terrifyingly traumatic. Now prosecutors are once more seeking Willie’s execution. Inevitably, this must revive harrowing memories for him of the day … Continue reading →

Posted in false testimony, firearms, Mississippi, new evidence, USA, Willie Manning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Happy 52nd Birthday!

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Justice for Willie

Today, Friday June 12, 2020, is Willie Manning’s 52nd birthday. We wish him a happy birthday. Willie has been depressed by the video footage showing African American George Floyd being killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis, while other … Continue reading →

Posted in African American, criminal justice, Mississippi, police misconduct, USA, Willie Manning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy 51st birthday!

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Justice for Willie

Today, Wednesday June 12, 2019, is Willie Manning’s 51st birthday. We wish him a very happy birthday. On the surface not much has changed for Willie over the last year, but there are signs that the Mississippi Supreme Court is … Continue reading →

Posted in DNA testing, miscarriages of justice, Mississippi, USA, Willie Manning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Willie’s Family

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Justice for Willie

Willie Manning’s daughter turned 3 years old soon after he entered death row; she is now 27. Willie has thus been absent for most of his daughter’s childhood and adolescence, and for much of her twenties; he has been unable … Continue reading →

Posted in African American, capital punishment, criminal justice, death penalty, Death Row, Fly Manning, Mississippi, USA, Willie Jerome Manning, Willie Manning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ineffective Assistance of Counsel

Posted on August 27, 2018 by Justice for Willie

Richard Burdine, who died last month, represented Willie Manning at the penalty phase of his trial. Burdine was an African American lawyer who deserves credit for frequently accepting indigent defendants as clients. He was publicly commended by the Mississippi legislature in … Continue reading →

Posted in African American, capital punishment, criminal justice, death penalty, defense attorneys, Mississippi, Penalty phase, Richard Burdine, USA, Willie Manning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

US Death Penalty: Systemic Problems

Posted on January 19, 2018 by Justice for Willie

It is not surprising that public opinion in the USA is increasingly recoiling from the death penalty: the annual Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) report reveals continuing “systemic problems” in its implementation: “As use of the death penalty dwindles, one might … Continue reading →

Posted in capital punishment, criminal justice, death penalty, DPIC, executions, USA, Willie Manning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Abominations Masked by Secrecy

Posted on April 26, 2017 by Justice for Willie

Willie Jerome Manning first came to the world’s attention because of an article by Clive Stafford Smith, who continues to speak out against the death penalty. Stafford Smith recently described the US death penalty as a dying dinosaur – destined for … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, capital punishment, criminal justice, death penalty, execution drugs, executions, Fly Manning, Injustice, innocence, lethal injection drugs, Mississippi, pharmaceutical companies, secrecy, USA, Willie Manning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Delays in DNA Testing

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Justice for Willie

As long ago as August 2016, it seems that Willie Manning and the State were “attempting to reach an agreement on how to proceed with developing a DNA profile from hairs that were used at Mr. Manning’s trial.” A new Mississippi Supreme … Continue reading →

Posted in capital punishmant, criminal justice, death penalty, DNA testing, Fly Manning, forensic testimony, hair testimony, Mississippi, USA, Willie Manning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Significance of Absent Witnesses

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Justice for Willie

In the early hours of the December 11, 1992, two Mississippi State University students were murdered. Willie Manning said he was at the 2500 Club that night. As the prosecutor himself pointed out, if Willie was at that club, he … Continue reading →

Posted in criminal justice, defense attorneys, Fly Manning, Mississippi, USA, Willie Manning, witness testimony, wrongful convictions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment