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Efrén Paredes, Jr. was arrested at age 15 and wrongly convicted in 1989 for a murder and armed robbery he did not commit; a crime to which others have admitted guilt. He has been imprisoned now over 20 years. The crime occurred in St. Joseph, Michigan (Berrien County), USA.
Efrén had no criminal history previous to his arrest and was a high school honor student at the time. He was tried and convicted only three months after his arrest on March 15, 1989 and convicted by 11 White jurors and one Black juror in a city whose racial composition was 95% White. The judge, prosecutor, and all the investigating police were also all White.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Berrien County ranks among the top 25 most segregated metropolitan areas in the country. It is also important to note that all the youth in Berrien County who have received life without parole (LWOP) sentences have been children of color. Efrén is also the only Latino youth in Berrien County history to receive a LWOP sentence.
Actions | Criminal Justice | Change.org
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