Sixth Annual Wrongful Conviction Rally Set For Friday, October 2nd at Noon, Cuyahoga County Justice Center, West 3rd and Lakeside Ave, Downtown Cleveland, Ohio

  • Featured speakers include Exonerees, Former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Michael P. Donnelly, Attorney Kim Corral, Exonerees and local attorneys
  • Event livestream at the Justice for Dawn Pasela Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/groups/228901363337147
  • Event Co-Sponsors include Justice For Dawn Pasela (JusticeForDawn.com) and FreeTonyViola.com
  • Speakers are welcome to register, each person has three minutes to share their thoughts, kindly contact event organizers Jeanna Kenney at [email protected], or Brenda Bickerstaff at 216-550-0691.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Tony Viola / (330) 998-3290 / [email protected]

Cleveland, Ohio – September 9, 2026 – FreeTonyViola announced today that it is a co-sponsor of EPIC’s (Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens) sixth annual rally on Friday, October 2nd at Noon to highlight Cuyahoga County’s role as the epicenter wrongful convictions. According to The National Registry of Exonerations, there have been nearly 4,000 judicially recognized exonerations since 1989, constituting more than 35,000 years lost. Cuyahoga County has far more exonerees than any other community, including many citizens who spent decades incarcerated for crimes they did not commit.

https://wrongfulconvictionday.org/ is a national event across the nation designed by the Innocence Network to raise awareness of the causes and remedies of wrongful conviction and to recognize the tremendous personal, social, and emotional costs of wrongful convictions on innocent people and their families.

In advance of his appearance at the event, former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Michael P. Donnelly stated: “A wrongful conviction is the worst form of injustice that can occur in our system and we should do everything we can to prevent it on the front end from happening, but also take steps to reform the post-conviction process to remedy wrongful conviction as soon as possible.”

Tony Viola, who was exonerated at a second trial after an initial conviction, said, “Wrongful convictions aren’t mistakes but often result from intentional wrongdoing by prosecutors, who start with a conclusion, target people for prosecution, then hide or destroy evidence that doesn’t comport with their theory of the case.  Ending rampant injustices and intentional wrongdoing by prosecutors should be a top priority for all officials in our government.”

Event organizer Jeanna Kenney added, “If you have a loved one incarcerated who is fighting a wrongful conviction, we encourage you to join us, bring your family, and join us in solidarity to be boots on ground.  We are also asking for help sharing the event on your social media pages and by inviting family and friends in person. Also, we would welcome additional speakers and sponsors, so please reach out for further details.”

ABOUT EPIC- Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens:  EPIC is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization advocating for fair laws and treatment within our penal system. We are currently fighting hard on Parole Reform and the treatment of incarcerated citizens throughout Ohio. We are a team built with amazing individuals who are passionate and dedicated to bring those deserving of a second chance HOME!

ABOUT JUSTICEFORDAWN.COM:  Whistleblower Dawn Pasela worked for the Prosecutor’s Office in Cleveland and was found dead under suspicious circumstances as she was set to testify at the second criminal trial of Tony Viola.  Dawn’s death has never been investigated, nor has the disappearance of her computer with evidence that may lead to over 1,000 exonerations. The JustuceForDawn team is advocating for a proper investigation by an independent law enforcement agency, and to hold powerful law enforcement officials accountable for their actions, which led to Dawn’s death.

ABOUT FREETONYVIOLA.COM:  FreeTonyViola.com’s mission is to shine a bright spotlight on the ‘win at all costs’ tactics, prosecutorial overreach and misconduct the United States Department of Justice employs when prosecuting American citizens.  Tony Viola was investigated by the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of state, local and federal agencies, and prosecuted in parallel federal and state cases. He lost the federal case but was exonerated at a subsequent state trial.  The website, originally created to solicit leads for Tony’s investigative team, has evolved into a tool to keep the public informed about critical developments in his case, and to share information that could potentially assist others who have been wrongfully ensnared by our criminal justice system.  For additional information, visit http://www.FreeTonyViola.com, friend us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tony.viola.9212, or follow us on X @TonyViola.

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