North Carolina Wesleyan University will welcome Ronald Cotton of Burlington, North Carolina on Thursday, February 15 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Powers Recital Hall at The Dunn Center. Serving 11 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Cotton was falsely accused of raping Jennifer Thompson. At the time, Thompson was an Elon University student. Cotton’s wrongful conviction was largely based on faulty eyewitness identification procedures. Following his exoneration, Ms. Thompson and Mr. Cotton became friends and advocates for criminal justice reform.

Considered among the most famous DNA exonerations in U.S. history! Watch a two-part 60 Minutes episode about this case by clicking here.

Attendees of this event will witness the type of interaction an educated populace should demonstrate, but more importantly, how to engage in issues that sometimes divide us as a nation.

Open to the public. This event will provide students with the experience of interacting with their social community beyond what they read in textbooks. Discussing delicate issues of this type is both educational and engaging for our students and the community at large.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Mr. Cotton during a reception immediately following at 8:00 p.m. in the Powers Hall lobby.