“You got to pick sides. And I got one side, and that side is justice,” Leon Benson said after traveling from Detroit to attend Vernon T. Bateman‘s art opening at the Skyline Club of Indianapolis on July 18. Benson, who served 25 years falsely incarcerated until his liberation in 2023, was the first person exonerated by the Marion County Conviction Integrity Unit.
“You think I’m gonna leave my brothers that I spent 25 years with in those cages to rot, when I know first-hand what it look like? Nah, I can’t do that,” he said.
What Side are You on?
Image: Leon Benson hosts the Indianapolis Liberation Center’s inaugural fundraiser and celebration in November 2024. Credit: Indianapolis Liberation Center.
Tagged: art exhibit exoneration Leon Benson Marion County Conviction Integrity Unit solidarity Vernon T. Bateman wrongful imprisonment