Feature · Cooley Law School
Exonerees Say Freedom is in the Hands of Law Students as Future Lawyers
October
Siggers and LeDura Watkins address Cooley students on hope, forgiveness, and the preparation that finally made the difference.
During the month of October, the Cooley Law School Innocence Project is doing its part to build awareness about wrongful conviction and its human impact. Part of their efforts included bringing back and giving voice to those exonerees who found freedom through the work of the Cooley Innocence Project and the national network of advocates.
LeDura Watkins, Cooley’s most recent exoneree, was released after serving almost 42 years for a robbery and murder he did not commit. Darrell Siggers, another Michigan exoneree, released after 34 years behind bars for a murder he did not commit, kicked things off early with a speech to Cooley students on Sept. 12 at the law school’s Lansing campus.
Cooley students were riveted listening to both speakers, and asked many questions of the exonerees, including how they were able to stay hopeful and forgive after an unjust system wrongfully took away their freedom for decades.
“I think it’s easy for a person in prison to lose themselves, especially if they do a lot of time,” shared Watkins. “But I think a lot of people underestimate the power of the human spirit. When you are put in adverse situations, there’s something inside you that rises, like it did in me. It powers you to go on and to be better.”
Law students also listened to Darrell Siggers tell his story about his heartbreaking path to freedom. They learned that listening and preparation were two things that made all the difference in his long quest for justice.
“As I stood there, my heart was pounding,” Siggers said of the day the charges were dropped. “We were very hopeful that they would do that, because we knew what the evidence was, and we knew that I’m innocent. So we were just waiting, praying, and hopeful. So our faith paid off, and all I can say is I’m truly, truly grateful.” He continued: “I just want to live life with my family, enjoy my freedom, and just be thankful and grateful to God and all the good people that helped in this improbable journey.”
Siggers has dedicated his life to helping others like himself. He is now writing a book about what a person should know before hiring a lawyer.
Watkins was exonerated by the Cooley Innocence Project on June 15, 2017. Siggers was represented by Michael Waldo of the State Appellate Defender’s Office and exonerated with the assistance of the Wayne County Conviction Integrity Unit on Oct. 19, 2018.