Wrongful Conviction Day
Toward Liberation: March & Rally
October 2, 2026 | 12:30 — 2:30 p.m.
Boston City Hall Plaza to the State House
Lift your voice, amplify your impact, fight for freedom
Take action with us! Each year, October 2nd is recognized internationally as Wrongful Conviction Day, a day to raise awareness of the causes of wrongful conviction and recognize the tremendous personal, social, and emotional costs it imposes on individuals, families, and communities.
The New England Innocence Project has marked the day through a variety of events, including a public march and rally in Boston alongside families, advocates, legislators, exonerees, and community members to uplift the voices of those directly impacted, honor loved ones still incarcerated, and call out the injustices of the criminal legal system.
See how to get involved below. We hope to see you at this year’s event!
About the Event
Details
When: Friday, October 2, 2026
Where / When:
12:30 p.m. — Gather at Boston City Hall Plaza
1:00 p.m — March to the State House begins
1:30 p.m. — Rally and speaking program at Massachusetts State House
About the New England Innocence Project
We free innocent people from prison, support families impacted by incarceration, and fight to end the oppressive harms of the criminal legal system throughout New England.
◾ March with Us
Join us for Toward Liberation, a march and rally to expand pathways to freedom in Massachusetts on Friday, October 2, 2026, 12:30 — 2:30 p.m., beginning at Boston City Hall. From Boston City Hall Plaza, we will carry signs and posters of our loved ones who are still incarcerated and march to the Massachusetts State House, where we’ll host a rally and speaking program (beginning at 1:30 p.m.) on the Massachusetts State House steps.
Massachusetts needs more pathways to freedom beyond exoneration:
Expand clemency & elder parole
End unjust sentencing such as life without parole/death by incarceration
Fight unfair legal doctrines such as joint venture and felony murder
On Wrongful Conviction Day, let’s speak with one voice toward liberation!
Download the WCD 2026 Flyer
How to Get Involved
◾ Submit a Photo of a Loved One Incarcerated in New England
Do you have a loved one fighting for freedom or someone you lost after injustice in New England? Submit a photo of them to have a poster created for you to pick up and lift up during the march and rally.
To request a printed poster of your loved one, please send an email to general@newenglandinnocence.org with the following items and information:
Your name
Your preferred email address
Full name of your loved one who is incarcerated
Number of years incarcerated
High-resolution photo(s) of your loved one
Deadline for photo submissions is September 21, 2026, at 5 p.m.
We cannot accept late submissions.
All posters will be available for pick-up at the start of our Wrongful Conviction Day event.
◾ Collaborate with Us
As we continue to grow this movement, we’re looking to partner with mission-aligned organizations and individuals. Through collaboration, we aim to broaden public awareness, center impacted voices, strengthen community solidarity, and create meaningful opportunities for partners to stand visibly and valuably within the shared work of fighting injustice and supporting healing.
To discuss a possible collaboration with us in honor of Wrongful Conviction Day, please send an email to general@newenglandinnocence.org for more information.
Please join our newsletter to stay updated on this and other upcoming events:
2025 Wrongful Conviction Day
Last year on October 1, 2025, we honored Wrongful Conviction Day in Massachusetts by:
Rallying to support legislation that would help exonerees receive adequate compensation for their loss and trauma
Holding a press conference to share lessons learned from the exoneration of Edward Wright, wrongfully incarcerated for 41 years for a Springfield murder he did not commit
Marching with our community to Boston’s City Hall, sharing stories and lifted photos of our loved ones who are still fighting for freedom from behind the wall
In New Hampshire, we gathered to hear from exonerees about why there should be no time limit on going back to court if you have new evidence of innocence. There should be no expiration date on justice.
This is a day for us to come together, in solidarity, to support everyone for whom the fight continues. We will not stop fighting until we are all free.
A Look Back
Photos by Ellen Rogers Photography