The Case of Ronald Cotton: How the Innocence Project Exposed a Flawed System

What if your memory was a lie? In 1984, Jennifer Thompson was attacked and confidently identified Ronald Cotton as her assailant. Her testimony was powerful, certain, and completely wrong. Cotton was sentenced to life in prison, marking the start of a decade-long fight to prove his innocence while the real perpetrator remained free.



Welcome to "Wrongful: The Long Road Back." This series explores the devastating reality of wrongful convictions. Using case files from the Innocence Project, we'll reconstruct the fight of Ronald Cotton, a man who battled a broken system from a prison cell. You'll learn how flawed eyewitness memory—the most trusted form of evidence in court—can become a weapon, and hear the almost unbelievable story of what happens after the prison gates finally open. This isn't just a story about a failed investigation; it's a story of survival, forgiveness, and the unimaginable journey of rebuilding a stolen life.

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