In Support of Exoneree Franky Carrillo for CA Assembly

We featured Franky Carrillo on our blog in April 2023 when he was running for US Congress in California's 27th district. Carrillo was wrongly convicted of committing a 1991 murder at the age of 16 and spent two decades in prison trying to prove his innocence before being exonerated in 2011.

Since his exoneration, he earned a degree from Loyola Marymount University, got involved in his community as an advocate for justice reform. Carrillo was also one of eight exonerees featured in the Netflix series "The Innocence Files."

Currently, Carrillo serves on the newly-formed Probation Oversight Commission of Los Angeles County, working on systemic reform within the Probation Department. He is also the Chief Policy Advisor for the Los Angeles Innocence Project at Cal State L.A., where he works to reform the justice system and exonerate others who have been wrongfully convicted.

Carrillo now seeks elected office, running to represent California's 52nd district (Los Angeles) in the State Assembly. Felony Murder Elimination Project is profoundly honored to support this remarkable man in his electoral run. We have donated to his campaign for the State Assembly and encourage our advocates and supporters to do the same.

In advocacy of Carrillo's State Assembly campaign, longtime criminal justice reform advocate Dolores Canales penned a letter of support. Please read this personal, poignant tribute to a man who embodies the kinds of values our organization wishes to see in Sacramento representing his community, especially those who need his voice the most, benefitting the state of California as a whole.

*****

Dear Community,

Thirteen years ago, I had the incredible honor of meeting my friend and colleague, Franky Carrillo.

It was during a time when families were in turmoil and desperate – families were hurting. It was during the California Prisoner hunger strikes that I first met Franky Carrillo. Not because he was in prison and on a hunger strike – In fact, he had recently been exonerated of a crime he did not commit after serving 20 years in prison. He heard of the families joining together in support of their incarcerated loved ones and he knew what his own family went through. He knew that someone’s grandmother – or child or significant other had no idea if their loved one would endure the hunger strikes to the point of losing their lives. He understood that lives were on the line, and he reached out to offer hope and encouragement. Franky showed up at many of our community events and encouraged the families not to give up. He spoke candidly about his own experience, and he continued to show up for the people. That’s who I know Franky to be - someone that will always show up for the people, not the limelight. He puts people and community front and center in all he does. 

While Franky has continued to grow in leadership roles he does not forget about his own past and how that experience affected his own life. Recently I had the opportunity to attempt to get some people that will inspire the women in Central California Women’s Facility to join an event called a Day of Healing. This event is being organized by those inside that were juveniles at the time of their offense. They refer to themselves as JOC – Juvenile Offenders Committee. I immediately thought of Franky, and I told the chair I would ask him if he would attend. I reached out to Franky, and I explained there was no funding but that those inside had heard of his story and were hopeful he would attend. He replied immediately – and his answer was a definite yes, we could count him in. This is the person I have always known Franky Carrillo to be from the moment I met him. He has been consistent in who he is, who he represents, and how he treats all – equally.

Since Franky’s release, he has graduated from Loyola Marymount University and has since dedicated his life to reform work and second chances in the legal system while educating the public on wrongful convictions. He is the Senior Policy Advisor for the Los Angeles Innocence Project and sits on the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s advisory board. He is also an appointed Los Angeles County Probation Commissioner, overseeing the same probation department that once confined him as a youth.

But today, Franky is seeking to make an even bigger difference for justice and equity as an elected advocate in the State Assembly. He is running in L.A.’s 52^nd District, and I hope you will consider supporting him with your vote and – if possible – a donation.

As so many of you know, these campaigns are difficult to finance and require support that is often not available to people like Franky. Thus far Franky has self-financed this campaign with reparations he was paid for losing 20 years of his life unjustly. Please join me in helping someone who is trying to turn his own tragedy into positive change for others, not have to pay for it himself with such painfully begotten funds. Let’s help him get to a position of influence that is so rarely availed by people of his backstory and make history in the great city of Los Angeles and beyond!

If you are able – please donate to Franky’s campaign on his website --->>> Franky Carrillo for Assembly

In solidarity,

Dolores Canales

*****

With humility, FMEP encourages our supporters to join us in donating to Franky Carrillo's campaign for State Assembly. If you are unable to do so at this time, you can also offer to volunteer with his campaign through canvassing or phone/text banking. We also hope you can spread the word and share this information on your social media channels.

Franky Carrillo is the type of advocate criminal justice reform movements desperately need in Sacramento. Our organization plans to do all we can to send him there.