At 5 p.m. today in the Homsey Family Moot Courtroom in Sarkeys Law Center, OCU LAW hosts "In Their Own Words: Oklahoma’s Exonerated Tell Their Stories." Co-sponsored by the law school’s American Constitution Society, the Federalist Society, and the Criminal Law Association, this event is free and open to the public.

It will feature some of Oklahoma’s exonerated individuals, innocent people who served years in prison before their innocence was established. Some of the lawyers involved in securing exonerations also will be present.

David Bryson served 16 years for a crime he didn’t commit. For Dennis Fritz it was 11 years; his story, and the story of his friend and co-defendant Ron Williamson, were told in the 2006 book "The Innocent Man" by John Grisham. Curtis McCarty was an innocent man in prison for 21 years. These and other individuals will share the disturbing stories of their wrongful convictions, the inspiring stories of how they were exonerated, and the hopeful story of OCU LAW’s efforts to establish a center for the study of wrongful conviction at the law school.

"These are important stories of individuals who experienced the trauma of being wrongfully convicted and the triumph of establishing their innocence," said Lawrence K. Hellman, dean of OCU LAW. "We hope that by holding this event , we’ll raise public awareness and put us on firm footing for establishing a program here."