Florida Premier – The Gathering: Innocent on Death Row

“The Gathering” tells the story of Witness to Innocence, the largest organization of death row exonerees in the country. These innocent men and women, some having spent decades on death row for murders they didn’t commit, come together once a year to share their thoughts and feelings, fears and dreams with the only people who really understand what they experienced. Their stories are heartbreaking, shocking and anger-provoking. The exonerees empower each other, speaking out about a broken justice system that makes mistakes and compels them to be warriors against the death penalty.

Meet 16 exonorees, a diverse group brought together by a common experience, a unique family to whom no one chooses to belong. They bare their souls, forever changed by the degradation they suffered. Like Anthony Ray Hinton who spent 30 years on death row, released only six months before the filming. And Debra Milke who spent 22 years on death row, joining the others at her first Gathering. These exonerees are passionate about telling their stories. They want the system changed so a competent defense doesn’t depend on money and racial bias is eliminated. They want dishonest prosecutors and police held accountable. They want compensation for the years lost. They want their dignity restored. They know the risk of executing an innocent person is too high.