Black teen spends 3 years in jail without being convicted of a crime

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Kalief Browder lost three years of his life without ever being convicted of a crime. According to Eyewitness News 7 in New York, Browder was charged with robbery at the age of 16 and placed in one of the roughest prisons in the nation.

In May 2010, Browder was falsely accused of robbery while walking home from a party in Bronx, N.Y. Police officers arrested Browder and he was sent to Rikers Island. Due to the fact that his family was unable to come up with the $10,000 bail money, Browder was forced to remain in prison.


Browder was given a Legal Aid attorney and police officers failed to properly investigate the crime. As a result, Browder spent the next three years of his life behind bars while waiting for his day in court. Being a 16-year-old in prison with adult men, Browder feared for his life because of the gang activity and the men who carried weapons such as shanks.

During his incarceration, Browder said he missed his sister’s wedding and never got a chance to attend his prom or graduate from high school.


In January, a judge offered him 33 months, but Browder never took the plea deal and maintained his innocence. But in June, he was finally released without an explanation or apology.

Now 20, Browder is studying for his GED and hopes to get a job. He is also considering legal action.

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