Jarrett Adams

At just seventeen years old, Jarrett Adams was sentenced to 28 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Wrongfully convicted by an all-white jury, he entered adulthood inside prison walls, stripped of his freedom but not his determination.

Instead of surrendering to despair, Jarrett began studying the law from his prison cell. He read every book, journal, and newspaper he could find, searching for a way to fight back. With the support of the Wisconsin Innocence Project, he overturned his conviction after serving eight years. The experience left him with a lifelong mission: to fight for those who, like him, had been silenced by wrongful convictions.

Jarrett went on to earn his law degree and became a defense attorney dedicated to justice reform. He co-founded Life After Justice, an organization that supports exonerees as they rebuild their lives. His legal work has freed others who were wrongfully imprisoned, and his voice has become one of the most powerful in the national fight for criminal justice reform.

I_am_HUMAN proudly joined forces with Jarrett Adams and Life After Justice in the campaign to free the Waverly Two. Together, through lobbying, advocacy, and awareness, we helped secure their release in 2025. That victory was not only for Terrence Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne, but for everyone who believes that freedom and dignity are worth fighting for.

Jarrett’s journey is proof that resilience can transform tragedy into change. From a prison cell to the courtroom, he has shown that justice is never out of reach when you refuse to give up.

To learn more about Jarrett’s extraordinary story and his fight for justice, read his memoir Redeeming Justice. By purchasing his book, you support his mission and carry forward the call to end wrongful convictions.