Ray White - Free After Decades of Proclaiming Innocence

Georgia Innocence Project is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Earnest Ray White.

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Surrounded by his family, friends and legal team, Ray White walked out of the Columbia County Courthouse in Evans, Georgia on May 22, 2024 a free man shortly after a superior court judge overturned his 1996 wrongful conviction. Since he was first wrongfully accused almost 30 years ago of an attack on a woman that he had absolutely nothing to do with, Ray has continuously proclaimed his innocence and decried his wrongful conviction and incarceration. Now, Ray finally will be able to live a full life and enjoy the many freedoms that have long been denied to him.

Ray explained, “I am very sorry for what happened to her, but it wasn’t me. On July 5th, 1994, we were both forever damaged. Now is the time to heal.”

Part of the healing and recovery process includes reflecting on and learning from the underlying harm. Ray’s case is a stark example of the many ways the criminal legal system can and does fail. Though he had a rock-solid, confirmed alibi, no physical evidence linking him to the crime, and no motive or opportunity to attack the victim, a jury convicted Ray based solely on a remarkably unreliable and externally influenced eyewitness identification. He was sentenced to life in prison, plus two concurrent twenty-year sentences for kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and burglary.

Not only did Ray spend 25 years wrongfully incarcerated for a crime he did not commit, but his parole conditions over the past three years left him closely monitored and banished from the county where his family lives and his mother is buried, unable to attend church or go to a gym or a park, and unable to be around his young grandkids.

Check out Georgia Innocence Project’s blog post and website Freedom Page to learn more about Ray’s case and how he overcame his wrongful conviction and incarceration.

Thanks to Ray’s newfound freedom, his future is bright. Ray has spent years working to set himself up for success. Upon being released on parole, he secured a job and housing, and began learning how to live in a new and ever-evolving society. He reconnected with family and friends, and made efforts to forge new friendships. In the process, he met, fell in love with, and married his wife Paula, with whom he adopted two loveable cats. The newlyweds purchased their first home together just a few months ago and now spend much of their time on home projects – working to build a haven for their blended family. Thankfully, Ray has a large and supportive family and network of friends from the community. However, there's still a long road ahead for Ray as he begins to recover and heal following 28 years of wrongful conviction for a crime he did not commit.

Imagine being over 60 years old and stepping out of prison following decades of wrongful incarceration, with no money, no social security savings, and no credit history. Consider the limited job skills, decades of medical neglect, relationship challenges, and struggles with trauma. The obstacles are significant. While Ray has done everything in his power to begin working toward security for himself since being released on parole, his options and support have been limited. People like Ray are often left on their own after being freed, with virtually no support from the State to rebuild their lives.

With his freedom comes his first real chance to build a sustainable future. GIP has set up this personal, private fundraiser on Ray's behalf, so you can donate directly to Ray and help him get financially back on his feet. With your support, Ray can use these funds to establish medical and mental health care, secure basic necessities, pay for critical services, and support himself and his family long-term.

NOTE: Any contributions to this GoFundMe fundraiser will go directly to Ray White as an individual and are NOT TAX DEDUCTIBLE.