OVERCOMING FALSE ACCUSATIONS AND WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS

“THIS GUY WAS FALSELY ACCUSED AND WRONGFULLY CONVICTED!” Those are words that do not apear on background checks or sex offender websites.  But that is exactly what happened to Earl Pickett over a decade ago.  Now it is time for him to tell his story.

“Hello. My name is Earl.  Over a decade and a half ago my life was turned upside down by false allegations that lead to a wrongful conviction.  I am not a pefect man and have been through many hard times in life, but one of the worst was having to choose between fighting to clear my name in the face of false accusations and risk going to prison for several decades or accepting guilt for a crime I didn’t commit and having my life restored back to me in a matter of a few dozen months.”

“There are few things worse than being lied on and the news media having a field day with it.  It makes your entire world fall apart. No one supports you or encourages you.  And you are convicted by the public before you even go to trial.  That kind of pressure really takes a toll on you. It wears you down physically, mentally, and emotionally.  It also causes you make decisions, like taking a plea bargain, that you would never have to make if you weren’t between a rock and a very hard place.”

“People say why would you take a deal instead of fighting? Why?  The answer is simple.  Sometimes you never know how a jury will decide.  Especially with a black man as a defendant.  It’s scary. So you bite the bullet and take the best deal they offer you just so you can get back to a normal life.  No one wants to be in prison for decades trying to file appeals to regain your freedom through the criminal justice system.”

“But even while that ordeal was a nightmare, the greatest thing to ever happen to me in my life occurred in prison.  I got SAVED!  For years, I heard about Jesus Christ, but now I knew Him personally!  He didn’t judge me by the newspapers and TV media.   He accepted me and loved me and offered me forgiveness and a new start in life.  As a result, I now have new life in Him and have accomplished things that others say is impossible. BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!”

“In fact, when you look at the Bible, there are many peole who endured and successfully overcame false accusations and wrongful conviction:

• In the book of Genesis, Joseph was falsely accused of raping Potiphar’s wife and landed in an Egyptian prison.
• In the book of Acts, Paul was wrongfully imprisoned on the charge of perverting Judaism.
• In the book of Revelation, John was convicted by the Roman emperor and exiled to the island of Patmos.

However, each of them found a way to not only survive their trauma, but also the way to overcome it.  That way is in Jesus Christ!  Whether you are guilty or not; wrongfully accused or rightfully accused; you will find hope for your soul in Jesus.  In closing, I want to share three tips for overcoming false accusations and wrongful convictions.

1. Turn the entire situation over to Jesus Christ.  Romans 8: 28 says that if you do, He will work it out for your good.
2. Forgive your accuser(s).  Matthew 5: 44 says that we are to love our enemies and to pray for them.
3. Don’t live in the past or fear the future.  Afterall, God’s name is I AM, not I WAS or I WILL BE.

GOD BLESS YOU!!