A Wrongful Murder Conviction and 18-Year Fight for Justice: The Fairbanks Four

submitted by Huzzaz on 02/02/18 1

In 1997, a teenager was found beaten to death in downtown Fairbanks, Alaska. Police quickly pinned the murder on four native teens from a local high school and convicted them on false confessions, an unreliable witness, and forged evidence. Still, the "Fairbanks Four" continued to maintain their innocence. Over time, the fight for their freedom grew into a statewide movement against Alaska’s judicial system. After 18 years, the Fairbanks Four were set free—but the state still refuses to acknowledge any wrongdoing. Meanwhile, the wrongfully convicted men, who were thrown in prison as teenagers, are struggling to get used to life outside after nearly two decades behind bars. VICE trekked to Alaska to meet two members of the Fairbanks Four, the community members who rallied behind them, and the investigators who helped secure their freedom—exploring the enduring impact of their wrongful incarceration and the native community’s effort to move forward. WATCH NEXT: Murder at America’s Border, the Story of an Anti-Immigration Vigilante - vice.video/2DQl3xL Click here to subscribe to VICE: bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE Check out our full video catalog: bit.ly/VICE-Videos Videos, daily editorial and more: vice.com More videos from the VICE network: www.fb.com/vicevideo Click here to get the best of VICE daily: bit.ly/1SquZ6v Like VICE on Facebook: fb.com/vice Follow VICE on Twitter: twitter.com/vice Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/vice Download VICE on iOS: apple.co/28Vgmqz Download VICE on Android: bit.ly/28S8Et0

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