Isaac Wright Jr. facts for kids

Isaac Wright Jr. (born January 23, 1962) is an American lawyer, businessman, and helper of others. He is famous for being wrongly accused and sent to life in prison in 1991. His conviction was overturned in 1997. This happened after he proved that police corruption and false witness statements were used against him. His amazing story is shown in the TV show For Life, which started in 2020. He also ran for mayor of New York City in 2021.

Early Life and Learning

Isaac Wright Jr. was born on January 23, 1962, in Orlando, Florida. His parents were Isaac Wright Sr. and Sandra B. Wright. His father was in the military, so Isaac lived in many different cities and countries. He went to Berkeley High School in Moncks Corner, South Carolina.

His Journey

In the early 1980s, Isaac Wright Jr. lived in New York City. He appeared on the TV talent show Star Search with his dance group, Uptown Express. Later, he managed talent and owned a record label called X-Press Records. His wife, Sunshine, was part of a popular music group he helped start, called The Cover Girls.

Wrongful Arrest and Imprisonment

In 1989, Isaac Wright Jr. was arrested. He was wrongly accused of being the leader of a large crime group in New York and New Jersey. After being held for almost two years, he was tried in 1991. He was then sentenced to life in prison, which meant 72 years.

While in prison, Isaac studied the law. He wrote a legal paper for another prisoner's case. In this paper, he argued that the rules for charging someone as a "kingpin" (a leader of a crime group) were wrong. Isaac's argument was successful. This new legal rule helped him challenge his own "kingpin" conviction. He managed to get rid of his life sentence. However, he still had other convictions that added up to over 70 years in prison.

Isaac then asked the court for a new review of his case. He claimed that the police and prosecutors had acted unfairly. In 1996, during a hearing, Isaac questioned a police detective named James Dugan. The detective admitted that there had been police misconduct in Isaac's case. This confession led to big discoveries. It showed that there was widespread police and prosecutor misconduct and cover-ups in Isaac's trial.

The prosecutor, Nicholas L. Bissell Jr., was found to be behind the misconduct. He told police officers to make up false reports. He also told witnesses what false things to say against Isaac. Bissell even made secret deals with defense lawyers. He would have their clients lie to the jury.

Detective Dugan pleaded guilty to misconduct to avoid prison. Isaac's trial judge, Michael Imbriani, was removed from his job and sent to prison for other crimes. Prosecutor Bissell ran away when he heard about Dugan's confession. All of Isaac's remaining convictions were canceled. After spending over seven years in prison, he was set free. He was completely cleared of all charges. The highest court in New Jersey confirmed this decision.

After Prison: A New Career

After being released, Isaac Wright Jr. decided to become a lawyer. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 2002 from Thomas Edison State University. He then went to law school in 2004 and graduated from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2007.

After passing his bar exam in 2008, Isaac spent nine more years being investigated. The New Jersey Bar's Committee on Character checked his background very carefully. Finally, on September 27, 2017, the New Jersey Supreme Court gave him a license to practice law. Isaac Wright Jr. became the first and only person in U.S. history to be sentenced to life in prison, fight for his own freedom, and then become a lawyer. He was licensed by the very same court that had once sent him to prison.

In 2017, the famous artist 50 Cent signed a deal to create a TV series. The show, For Life, is based on Isaac Wright Jr.'s incredible life story.

In August 2022, Isaac published his own book. It is called Marked for Life: One Man's Fight for Justice from the Inside.

Politics

In December 2020, Isaac Wright Jr. announced that he was running for mayor of New York City. He ran as a member of the Democratic Party.