https://www.pickingcottonbook.com/our-story daily 1.0 2020-04-12 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/t/5c508d3242bfc14a95978f2e/1548782914466/quotes.jpg About the Book https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/t/5c491f9c4ae23759d4e47ac5/1548296097898/book_mockup_quotes.jpg About the Book - “What happens in this book will change what you think of the criminal justice system in this country, and challenge you to help fix it… an extraordinary story about crime, punishment and exoneration.... compelling and profound.” — Barry C. Scheck, Co-Founder & Co-Director, The Innocence Project® ”[A] remarkable testament... powerful... A MUST read.” — Studs Terkel, Author of The Good War “Few people have done more to put a human face on issues involving wrongful convictions than Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton. Yet through their shared pain, they have been able to forge a friendship that most of us search our lives for.” — Janet Reno, Former U.S. Attorney General ”Few stories of wrongful convictions have happy endings, but the one told by Ronald Cotton & Jennifer Thompson-Cannino is far different. It is the powerful account of violence, rage, redemption, and, ultimately, forgiveness.” — John Grisham https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/t/5c49324f0e2e728dfffc7227/1548300885823/lineup_tint.jpg About the Book https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/t/5c4a1a3eb8a0454731e6490f/1586735281679/authors.jpg About the Book https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/t/5c4a4f99f950b7808b449d88/1548373928404/mistaken+identity3.jpg About the Book https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/t/5c4a5014032be4d61719816a/1586735318273/081513_Ronald_Cotton_4x3.4.jpg About the Book https://www.pickingcottonbook.com/case-file daily 0.75 2019-01-28 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c49f6918a922d0603f82078/1548351170730/24_jenniferlettertopoole001.jpg Case File - April, 1997: Just days after meeting Ron, Jennifer writes a letter to Bobby Poole, the real rapist. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c49f68cf950b772a658494c/1548351179748/23_pardonofinnocence001.jpg Case File - July 12, 1995: The State of North Carolina issues a Pardon of Innocence. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c49f68b032be4dcbfe8d2b9/1548351192030/22_dna.jpg Case File - June 22, 1995: A fragment of a sperm head excludes Ronald Cotton and implicates Bobby Poole. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c49f689b9144365779f894f/1548351265731/21_MFAR001-1.jpg Case File - Rich Rosen & Tom Lambeth file a document asking the court in Alamance County to grant Ron a new trial. Download the full Motion for Appropriate Relief document. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c49f687575d1fe4bb04aa60/1548351297898/20_ronletterrich001.jpg Case File - Ron asks his attorney if he can have a DNA test. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c49f686aa4a992e8013a65b/1548351308600/19_ronletterhunter001.jpg Case File - Aug 10, 1990: Ron writes to the appellate defender upon hearing that another appeal was denied. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c493e044d7a9ca6363e68dd/1548304250623/18_ronletterpoole001.jpg Case File - In prison, Ron crosses paths with Bobby Poole again. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c493e03aa4a992e800d9a42/1548304240715/17_2ndvictimID.jpg Case File - In the 1987 trial, the second victim from 1984 testifies Ronald Cotton was her rapist. Ron is convicted of both this and Jennifer's rape and returns to prison with 2 life sentences. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c493e0188251b738e05a3c7/1548304200823/16_2ndtrialpoole.jpg Case File - Ron returns to court in Nov, 1987 after his first conviction is overturned. Ron's defense argues that Poole was the assailant. The judge rules that none of the evidence concerning Poole is admissible. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c493dfe42bfc145252ded4a/1548304074070/15_bobbyleonpooleindictment1-85.jpg Case File - After being arrested in the same complex where Jennifer was assaulted, Bobby Poole pleads guilty to another rape in January 1985. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c493dfd562fa723659a5178/1548304063932/14_judge+on+ron.jpg Case File - Ronald Cotton is found guilty. Before sentencing, the judge calls him "a physically capable criminal" with "abnormal and dangerous sexual tendencies." https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c493dfcb9144365779975ea/1548304053942/13_panties+2.jpg Case File - Jennifer is questioned by the defense about what she wore the night she was attacked. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c493df9aa4a992e800d99e5/1548304044746/12_labreport001A.jpg Case File - No physical evidence ties Ronald Cotton to the crime scene. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c493df74fa51a8e6ec4e7ed/1548304033744/11_lineup+copy.jpg Case File - Jennifer picks #5, Ronald Cotton. The second victim picks someone else. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c493df7cd8366102838b885/1548304029801/10_lineupnotes002.jpg Case File - Aug 8, 1984: Jennifer Thompson and the second victim view a lineup of seven men. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c493df703ce64a987087fb1/1548303989076/9_roncotton_arrest.jpg Case File - Aug 1, 1984: Ronald Cotton is arrested after he voluntarily goes into the police station to straighten things out. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c493df6352f534aa643775d/1548303976352/8_searchwarrant001.jpg Case File - July 31, 1984: A search warrant is issued for Ronald Cotton's place. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c493df6575d1fe4bbfec644/1548303965818/7_roncotto_photoarray+copy.jpg Case File - Both victims view a photo array including an old mug shot of Ronald Cotton. Jennifer selects Ronald's photo; the second victim can't make an identification. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c493df62b6a28c73a9865fc/1548303952292/6_faye.jpg Case File - A supplementary investigation report plants the idea of Ronald Cotton "liking white women." This same witness will later sign an affidavit in the MFAR completely contradicts this report. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c4936f20ebbe8f531da7052/1548303913269/5_tiponron002A-2.jpg Case File - July 31, 1984: An anonymous caller gives police the tip that a man named Cotton resembles the composite. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c4936f040ec9a50cd287bba/1548303900607/4_newsreleasejpg001.jpg Case File - July 29, 1984: News release containing the composite drawing Jennifer created. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c4936ed4ae23759d4e5becb/1548303890483/3_Jenniferstatement001.jpg Case File - After she is taken to the hospital, Jennifer goes to the police station to make a statement to Detective Mike Gauldin. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c4936e7352f534aa64331de/1548302277027/2_Original+ncidentReport3003.jpg Case File - First officer on the scene writes a report, which includes an initial description of the attacker from Jennifer. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/5c49354240ec9a50cd286984/5c4936e76d2a73be03e33f56/1548302188557/1_jenniferfreshman.jpg Case File - Jennifer Thompson as a college freshman, before her assault. https://www.pickingcottonbook.com/news-events daily 0.75 2019-01-29 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/t/5c4a489ab914433aa01472de/1548725413021/TedX+Talk News + Events - Jennifer Thompson gives a TedX talk at Furman University Jennifer explores how a tiny action can have life changing impacts through the telling of her personal story. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/t/5c4a444d575d1fb507f5dad9/1548725406015/Picking+Cotton+Film News + Events - Picking Cotton to become a major motion picture Sidney Kimmel Entertainment to finance & produce the Jessica Sanders-directed film adaptation of Picking Cotton. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/t/5c4a475321c67c522503341c/1548725409768/Healing+Justice+Project News + Events - Jennifer Thompson founds Healing Justice Project Healing Justice Project addresses the extensive human damage caused by wrongful convictions and works to prevent future wrongful convictions. https://www.pickingcottonbook.com/contact daily 0.75 2019-01-24 https://www.pickingcottonbook.com/about-the-authors daily 0.75 2019-01-30 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/t/5c4a0896b8a0454731e54ca1/1548355952005/Ronald+Cotton About the Authors Ronald Cotton https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/t/5c4a093842bfc14525351752/1548355944728/Jennifer+Thompson About the Authors Jennifer Thompson https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/t/5c4a08a37ba7fc521014e579/1548725373165/Erin+Torneo About the Authors Erin Torneo https://www.pickingcottonbook.com/eyewitness-id daily 0.75 2019-01-29 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c4900512487fdfd161c8006/t/5c4a251c03ce64b62dc7cc77/1548725386676/Eyewitness+ID Eyewitness ID Composite Sketch > Ronald Cotton > Bobby Poole