“Last Chance,” the most recent episode of the CBS true-crime investigative program “48 Hours,” tells the compelling story of Damon Thibodeaux. Thibodeaux was wrongfully convicted of the rape and murder of his “step-cousin” in 1996, and spent 15 years on death row in Louisiana. The PBEye previously reported on his exoneration, which was made possible through the heroic pro bono legal assistance of attorneys and staff at Fredrikson & Byron*† in collaboration with the Innocence Project and the Capital Post Conviction Project of Louisiana.
Among those interviewed and seen on the program are our friends, attorney Steve Kaplan and Pro Bono and Community Service Manager Pam Wandzel, who led the team of Fredrikson & Byron attorneys and staff on a 12-year quest for Thibodeaux’s freedom.
Thibodeaux’s story underscores the need for pro bono assistance at all stages of our criminal justice system. In particular, pro bono work for death row inmates has the power to save lives and can prove rewarding for the attorneys who choose to take on such difficult and demanding cases. Click here to watch “Last Chance” or read a transcript of the program. It’s an incredible story that you don’t want to miss. We know that you’ll be as inspired as we are.
* denotes a Signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge®
† denotes a Member of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project