Free Genarlow Wilson: the $1 Million Man Speaks to ABC
Although his conviction was tossed, Genarlow Wilson remains in jail.
June 26, 2007 — -- Genarlow Wilson, a 21-year-old man from Georgia, still sits in jail today despite the fact that earlier this month a judge declaredhis 10-year felony sentence a "grave miscarriage of justice" and ordered him freed.
Wilson has already served two years of his sentence for receiving consensual oral sex from a 15-year-old girl when he was17.
A bond hearing is set for July 5, but Wilson's attorney B.J. Bernstein argues on a Web site she set up for Wilson that the hearing would be unnecessary if Douglas County District Attorney David McCade would agree to set bail. Bernstein argues there is no reason why Wilson can not be freed while Georgia Attorney General Thurbet Baker appeals the decision.
On Monday New York City investment manager Whitney Tilson announced that he and 10 other business managers would immediately wire a $1 million cash bond for Wilson's release.
Tilson, also a founder of Teach for America, a highly selective program that places college graduates into severely underprivilegedschools, told ABC News that although he at first did not want to gopublic with his bond offer, he realized that $1 million couldhelp to draw more attention to Wilson's case. Tilson said he hopes totake some small part in righting what he also calls a "miscarriage of justice."
"When I first heard about the case in a New York Times editorial, I Googled Genarlow Wilson and came across wilsonappeal.com," Tilsonsaid. "So I contacted Wilson's attorney to see if there was anything I could do…I didn't think I would hear from her but I got a phone call last Thursday and she said that a million dollar cash bond couldhelp."
"It's deliberately an exceedingly large number," Tilson added. "The million dollars is meant to show how passionately we believe thatevery single day this young man sits in prison it is a continuance ofthis miscarriage of justice."
Wilson's attorney said she feels an appropriate bail for Wilson could be as low as $25,000.
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