Michigan Exoneree Returns to Prison on His Own Terms


FAITH NEWS SERVICE – Dr. Marvin Cotton Jr. Hosts Motivational Event at Thumb Correctional Facility to Bring Hope to Inmates.

Lapeer, Michigan – When Dr. Marvin Cotton Jr., a Michigan exoneree and Detroit native, left prison in 2020 he vowed never to return—at least not as a resident. Instead of fighting for injustice behind bars like he once did, he now has the opportunity to use his voice and his story to advocate for men just like him. Cotton was exonerated on October 1, 2020 after being wrongfully convicted and serving 19 years, 7 months, and 12 days in the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC).

His release was the result of an extensive investigation by the Wayne County Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU), created in 2018 to address wrongful convictions.

Cotton is one of the dozens of men in Michigan who has been wrongfully convicted and exonerated by the CIU in the last seven years.  Since returning to society, he has focused on finding unique ways to advocate for others who have been wrongfully convicted. Understanding the important role that community support plays in the lives of returning citizens, Cotton has made it his mission to find ways to uplift those who are still fighting for their freedom.

Amongst his many accomplishments to date, Cotton has published his first bestselling book, “Better Not Broken: An Optimistic Guide to Overcoming Pain and Leveraging Life’s Opportunities” and founded the Better Not Broken Community Development Corporation.

On Saturday, March 8, Cotton visited Thumb Correctional Facility (TCF) to encourage the residents and to provide resources to help them overcome mental and emotional barriers as they prepare to return to their communities.

The motivational event titled, “Staying Positive and Engaged While in Prison”, included a keynote address by Cotton, a question-and-answer session, and a special recognition segment honoring nine men from the facility who have made admirable contributions to help improve the lives of others and their communities. The voluntary event was well attended, drawing over 125 men.

The event was a collaborative effort of TCF’s administration (including the prison warden, assistant deputy warden of programs, and the special activities director), Cotton and the TCF residents. Robert T. Hinds, a juvenile lifer who was wrongfully convicted in 2002 and has maintained his innocence for almost 24 years, helped spearhead the event by working with the TCF staff, fellow inmates, and Cotton’s administrative team to help organize the logistics and ensure that the event was open to the entire general population of men at the facility. Hinds says that the desired outcome of the event was for the men to feel inspired after hearing Cotton’s story of redemption.

“I’ve had to overcome a lot of things in my life and to mature. It wasn’t easy, but I put in the work, and I have been blessed to have accomplished a lot, even while fighting for justice from behind these bars,” said Hinds. “I know if it is possible for me to overcome and succeed, so can these other men.”

TCF is one of the few correctional facilities in Michigan that has a thriving and expansive college program where the staff promotes higher education and reform. As a result, the administration’s commitment to provide valuable educational opportunities continues to positively impact the residents and the culture at TCF.

According to Hinds and Cotton, the challenges and bureaucracy that can come with doing positive work inside of prison can be overwhelming, but they both agreed that the work is still worth doing.

They also shared that while many of the men who are inside serving life and/or long indeterminate sentences have helped rebuild the confidence and spirits of men who have already been released back into the community, their contributions to those individuals’ transformation and its impact on society is often unacknowledged.

Hinds said that while organizing the event with Cotton, he was able to share the stories of nine men at TCF who regularly sacrifice their time and energy volunteering inside the facility to positively influence others. Those men range from writers, mentors, facilitators, college graduates to leaders in their faith communities.

One of the men who Hinds mentioned was Jerry Riley.  Riley, a youthful offender who was 19 years old at the time of the offense he was convicted for and is awaiting the Michigan Supreme Court decision in People v. Czarnecki, said that he is prayerful he will be resentenced at that time.

When Hinds mentioned Riley’s name to Cotton, Cotton said  that he was pleasantly surprised because he and Riley were old acquaintances. In fact, Riley was the man who helped Cotton develop his writing skills during his early attempts at writing stories. Cotton said that he was impressed that Riley had remained consistent doing positive work over the years.

“Jerry Riley is a great example of servant leadership,” said Hinds, “I have had conversations with Jerry about Dr. Cotton before and he never mentioned that he played a role in him learning how to write stories. This was a testament to me that his heart is in the right place as he is doing the work that he does.”

During the motivational event, Cotton recognized the work of several other men whose stories of sacrifice and selflessness were shared with him by Hinds in an effort to highlight their personal growth and service inside the prison. Cotton not only acknowledged the men personally, but he also made an attempt to provide each man with a certificate from his organization.

Determined to leave an impression of hope on the residents’ hearts and minds, and to remind them that they are not forgotten, Cotton says that he chose to recite the powerful words of Nelson Mandela, “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” 

During his keynote address, he also reflected on when he was in prison and there was a lack of community resources and volunteers to help with the initiatives that he wanted to introduce inside. Now that he is free, Cotton said that he is determined to use his voice to make a difference.

The event also included a robust question-and-answer segment, where the leaders of the event and the general population were invited to ask questions, many of which were centered around Cotton’s personal journey and experiences and the overall state of the justice system. One attendee commented that, “It was good to hear from someone who has actually experienced being sentenced to life in prison and being cleared.”

Cotton said that his vision is to work with the men inside so that they can overcome the pain and trauma that they may have experienced, develop professional tools and access the community resources needed so that they can overcome their personal struggles.

“It’s imperative that the men inside start to leverage opportunities now and find creative ways to get involved doing positive work before they leave prison,” said Cotton. “If the men who have influence use their voices productively, they can make a difference in someone’s life by opening up their minds and teaching them a new way to live.”

Cotton also expressed his gratitude for Hinds’ influential and strategic leadership in successfully pulling all the men together for a positive purpose.

“This event would not have been possible if my team (Freddie Nash, Robert Harrington-Bey, and David Wheetley) did not work collectively using our resources and influence,” Hinds said.

Randal LeFevre, an inmate at TCF, attended the event and said that Cotton was the most inspiring speaker he had heard in his 27 years of being in prison. “His ability to network and connect with people was impressive and a lot of what he shared helped me to put his vision in perspective.”

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Contact: Michelle Kelly
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