A crowd sourcing project, the Ryan Ferguson Fund, has already raised more than $46,000 for Ferguson, who spent more than eight years behind bars for the murder of Columbia Tribune sports editor Kent Heitholt. The goal is $100,000.
Ferguson was freed last week, a couple of weeks after the Missouri Supreme Court overturned his 2005 conviction.
The following information is taken from the project website:
Ryan Ferguson Release Fund
As you all know, Ryan began his life as a free man on Tuesday November 12th. We (his friends and supporters) want to ensure that he has the financial resources necessary for basics (food/housing/clothes) and to ensure that he can spend a significant amount of time enjoying life and figuring out what he wants to do next.
We hope you will join us in donating whatever amount you can, and spreading the word to your friends, families, churches and other community organizations.
Ryan's Story
Ryan was behind bars for almost 10 years for a crime he did not commit, based on ‘evidence’ that was either fabricated or non-existant. This young man spent his entire twenties in prison – and is finally free.
Ryan was convicted for the 2001 murder of local reporter Kent Heitholt based solely on the testimony of two ‘witnesses’ who admitted they committed perjury. There are even members of the original jury who, based on this new evidence, felt Ryan deserves a new trial. Yet Ryan Ferguson remained locked up, a victim of the Missouri justice system.
Ryan’s story has been featured extensively on NBC’s Dateline, CBS’s 48 Hours and in numerous TV reports, magazines and newspapers. People across the world are outraged by Ryan’s case.
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