Screening & Discussion – “Racially Charged: America’s Misdemeanor Problem” and the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act (Online)

Join the Society and our allies for a screening of a short documentary Racially Charged: America’s Misdemeanor Problem, organized by 4th Universalist. Additionally, two speakers will help push for the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act via a phoning call to action. It’s already fairly planned out so co-sponsorship would mostly mean having West End Synagogue show their support by listing their name on any materials and inviting people (no money, on Zoom, and little effort!).

The screening of Racially Charged: America’s Misdemeanor Problem will be followed by a discussion about the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act with:

• Derrick Hamilton, a formerly incarcerated man who became a jailhouse lawyer and whose exoneration lead him to push for the bill
• Rebecca Brown, Director of Policy at the Innocence Project, who will give an overview of why so many innocent people plead guilty to misdemeanors (to avoid jail time and the legal process) as well as information on the bill.

Q&A will follow, along with instructions for how to contact your legislators to support the bill.

Hosted by 4th Universalist and co-sponsored by the New York Society for Ethical Culture and others.

Register in advance here: http://tinyurl.com/MisdemeanorProblem