Dewey Bozella facts for kids

Dewey Bozella (born 1959) is a former professional boxer. He is known for being wrongly imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. In 1983, Bozella was found guilty of murder. He spent 26 years in prison. In 2009, his conviction was overturned. This means he was proven innocent and set free.

Early Life and Training

Dewey Bozella faced a difficult childhood. He lost his mother at a young age. As a teenager, Bozella trained with famous boxer Floyd Patterson. Patterson was a two-time world Heavyweight champion. As a young adult, Bozella spent some time in prison for a different reason. While there, he worked hard on his education. He earned a bachelor's degree from Mercy College. He also got a master's degree from New York Theological Seminary.

Wrongful Conviction

In 1977, a 92-year-old woman named Emma Crapser was murdered. This happened in her apartment in Poughkeepsie, New York. Police believed that Dewey Bozella, who was 18 at the time, was involved. In 1983, Bozella was found guilty of the murder. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.

Bozella always said he was innocent. He refused to admit to the crime. Because he would not admit guilt, the parole board denied him release four times. He reached out to the Innocence Project. This group helps people who might be wrongly imprisoned.

The Innocence Project found that there was no DNA evidence left to test. So, they sent his case to a law firm called WilmerHale. Lawyers at WilmerHale found new evidence. This evidence had been hidden by the prosecutors. It showed that Bozella was innocent and had been framed.

On October 28, 2009, a judge agreed. The judge said that important evidence proving Bozella's innocence was not shared. After serving 26 years, Dewey Bozella was finally released from prison.

Life in Prison

Bozella was held in New York State prisons. This included Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, New York. While at Sing Sing, he became a boxing champion. He won the prison's light heavyweight boxing title.

Life After Prison

After his release on October 28, 2009, Bozella started helping young people. He worked at a local gym in Newburgh, New York. He taught teenagers about boxing. He also talked to them about avoiding gangs. He often gives speeches to groups. He shares his life story and experiences. Bozella is also often seen at boxing events in New York City.

Today, Bozella lives in Fishkill, New York with his wife, Trena. In 2011, he received an award. He told an ESPN reporter that he still dreamed of having one professional boxing match. Later that year, boxing champion Bernard Hopkins helped make his dream come true.

ESPY Awards Recognition

On July 13, 2011, Dewey Bozella's story was shared on ESPN's annual ESPY Award show. This event took place in Los Angeles. He was honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. This award celebrates people who show great strength and bravery.

Professional Boxing Debut

On October 15, 2011, Dewey Bozella had his first professional boxing match. He was 52 years old. The fight was part of a bigger event. It happened before the Bernard Hopkins vs Chad Dawson match. This took place at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Bozella won his fight against Larry Hopkins. He won by a unanimous decision after four rounds.

Before the fight, Bozella had been training with Bernard Hopkins in Philadelphia. Even President Barack Obama called Bozella to wish him good luck!

Public Appearances

In 2012, Bozella was a guest at a boxing fundraiser. He spoke about how boxing helped him. He said that the sport and the champions he met saved his life.

His Memoir

In 2016, Dewey Bozella wrote a book about his life. It is called Stand Tall: Fighting For My Life, Inside and Outside the Ring.

Professional boxing record

1 Wins (0 knockouts), 0 Losses, 0 Draws, 0 No Contest
Res.	Record	Opponent	Type	Rd., Time	Date	Location	Notes
Win	1-0	Larry Hopkins	UD	4 (4)	2011-10-15	Staples Center, Los Angeles, California	Bozella's professional debut.

See also

• Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a boxer who served 18 years for murder before his conviction was set aside in 1985
• Innocent prisoner's dilemma
• List of wrongful convictions in the United States