Dewitt McDonald, Jr. has been wrongly incarcerated for 27 years after being convicted for a murder in which no physical evidence or eyewitness testimony places him at the scene of the crime.

Demonstrated corruption on the part of the prosecutor influenced the outcome of Dewitt McDonald’s trial and contributes to his continued incarceration.

Two other men were also convicted of this murder. One has confessed to being the shooter, the other has confessed to owning the gun used in the shooting, and both were released from prison years ago. Both state that Dewitt McDonald, Jr. was not involved in the shooting. Dewitt McDonald, Jr. has never wavered in maintaining his innocence and remains incarcerated.

Dewitt has never had even one parole hearing. Per official Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC) records, he has been eligible for parole since November 2011. Under Ohio law, an inmate is entitled to a parole hearing as soon as their minimum sentence expires. Despite the lack of evidence in his case, Dewitt was sentenced to 20-life. The 20-life sentence was reaffirmed by the court in 1997, 2003, and 2007. However, in 2010, the ODRC somehow unilaterally changed Dewitt’s sentence to 36-life without his knowledge or legal representation.

In March 2022, a judge granted habeas corpus, ruling that Dewitt McDonald, Jr. should have had a parole hearing years ago and as such ordering his immediate release. The Ohio Attorney General stepped in and filed an emergency stay order to halt Dewitt McDonald's release for a 1994 murder in which no physical evidence or reliable testimony connects him. Dewitt McDonald, Jr. remains in prison.

Miles For Justice is a grassroots social justice initiative to make society more equitable. Its founder runs a 5K every single day (since April 2020) as a silent protest against oppression while raising awareness on inequalities.

Miles For Justice

Instagram