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Free from wrongful incarceration, man wants to help others
For Lavone Hill, it was a long 22 years to spend incarcerated for a crime he never committed. While the upcoming road is long, he isn't without help himself as foundations like Here to Help push to make his reemergence into society a little easier.
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (FOX 2) - For Lavone Hill, the last 22 years he spent incarcerated were more than just a struggle or a bad dream.
"It was a different nightmare everyday but it was a recurring nightmare," he said. "I held strong to my faith, I held strong to my belief and conviction, that - I said 'I'm getting out of this place.'"
He had good reason to believe it would happen.
Hill was wrongfully imprisoned for a double murder he didn't commit. He was convicted thanks to a crooked cop who lied to get Hill behind bars. But in October this year, the Innocence Clinic at the University of Michigan helped vacate Hill's sentence after revelations that Sgt. Walter Bates had lied.
Despite more than two decades of prison, Hill has emerged into freedom with remarkable clarity - and even more hope.
"My future looks bright, it looks beautiful actually, it's so bright I can't even see it right now - but it looks good," he said.
That's in part thanks to the groundswell of support from his family, who helped put him in touch with the Here to Help Foundation. Started by Bob Schwartz and his wife, they connect returning citizens to services they will need outside of prison.
Already, 5,000 people have gone into the program.
"From that point we can get them employed - get everybody employed - get them into skilled trade training. Get them into college if that's something that they're interested in and just keep moving them along on a path of success," said Schwartz.
Schwartz sat next to Hill as he outlined some of the resources they offer, from necessities like food and clothing to housing and transportation to jobs.
If the program is successful, it can help turn someone into a productive member of society.
HIll is only three weeks out of prison, and he has discovered many of the pieces of his life that he needs to put back together. He's had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday and a dentist appointment on Thursday. He's going to the eye doctor soon and will be seeing a mental health expert next week.
"I'm just all over the place just trying to get back, reacclimated to being a citizen," he said.
The Here to Help Foundation can help connect clients to all those services.
And as Hill gets back on his feet, he knows other fights are still on the horizon.
"We had the battle for the freedom - now the second battle will be the civil battle to get me some type of compensation for being wrongly convicted and being an innocent man in prison," he said. "That's a different fight."
With a passion for criminal justice, he intends to help other innocent people who are getting out of prison.
Learn more about the nonprofit here