Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-Morris, Essex, Passaic) will hold a press conference this Thursday, October 5, at 10:30 a.m. at the Statehouse to call for action on his legislation to reduce the number of wrongful convictions that occur in New Jersey.

Pennacchio will be joined by a number of advocates, including Rodney Roberts, a Newark man who spent 17 years behind bars before being exonerated by DNA evidence and released from prison in 2014.

Senator Pennacchio’s bill, S-3045, would establish the “New Jersey Innocence Study and Review Commission,” which would be charged with developing reforms to reduce wrongful convictions in New Jersey.

Pennacchio introduced S-3045 more than seven months ago, but it has not had a single committee hearing.

In addition to exoneree Rodney Roberts, Pennacchio will also be joined by members of the NAACP New Jersey State conference and Lesley Risinger, Director of The Last Resort Exoneration Project at Seton Hall University Law School, which provides pro-bono investigative and legal services to inmates seeking exoneration.

WHO: Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26), exoneree Rodney Roberts, Richard Smith and Safeer Z. Quraishi of the NAACP New Jersey State Conference; and Lesley Risinger, Director of The Last Resort Exoneration Project.

WHAT: Press conference calling for action on Sen. Pennacchio’s S-3045 establishing the “New Jersey Innocence Study and Review Commission,” to reduce wrongful convictions and provide aid to those seeking exoneration in New Jersey.

WHEN: Thursday, October 5, at 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: Committee Room 1, New Jersey Statehouse Annex.

AVAILABILITY: OPEN

CONTACT: Emily Everson, Senate Republican Office, 609-847-3600; eeverson@njleg.org