Making an Exoneree 2020 - The Story of Keith Washington

“One Innocent Man: The Untold Story of Keith Washington” exposes the truly bizarre wrongful conviction of an African American military veteran and former police officer who received an unprecedented 45-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter. More than 12 years later, Keith Washington is still fighting to prove his innocence, with the support of his wife and daughter. In the current climate, this story may sound like yet another police-involved shooting. But the context and consequences surrounding the incident warrant closer examination and judicial reconsideration. Indeed, in this case, two furniture deliverymen (who were high on drugs) were snooping through Washington's house and physically assaulted him, while his wife and daughter were also home. Not only was the conviction itself dubious, but Washington’s sentence far exceeds the norm and suggests racial bias (for example, federal guidelines on involuntary manslaughter call for 10-16 months in prison, whereas Washington received a 540-month sentence). This film was created by three Georgetown undergraduates—Josh Rosson, Trevor O’Connor, and Céline Berdous—within the context of a Georgetown University course taught by Professor Marc Howard and Adjunct Professor and Exoneree Martin Tankleff.