WE NEED YOUR HELP

My name is Jason Elder. I'm currently in the Wheeler Correctional Facility in Georgia. I have served 18 years for a crime that I didn't commit.

You ever wonder how this type of thing could happen?

Freeing an innocent person from jail/prison, you would do that if you could, right?

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to help?

Imagine being locked up for 18 years and 4 months as an innocent man!

Imagine knowing you didn’t do it! Imagine being convicted! Imagine being innocent!

Imagine every memory that you have had for the last 18 years and 4 months being memories of prison!

This is my true-life story as an innocent man serving a life sentence for a crime I DID NOT commit! The life of Jason Allen Elder, Jr. Help me fight for my JUSTICE!! At the age of 17, I was wrongly convicted of two counts of Armed Robbery in two different counties in Georgia. Whitfield County & Dade County. The counties are 45 minutes apart. I was sentenced to life plus 18 years in 1999. I'm currently 34 years old and still incarcerated in at the Wheeler Correctional Facility in Alamo, Georgia. I had no prior convictions and had just relocated to Georgia during the time of the robberies. I was setup and framed by Georgia Bureau of Investigations police officer Greg Ramey. When acquiring about the robberies, Office Greg Ramey asked me if he could take my photo and because he was an officer, I didn’t think too much of it & I said yes.

After that things, went downhill for me. I was arrested for a suspended license, to which I served 30 days. A week later while in custody, Officer Greg Ramey charged me with 3 counts of armed robbery in three different counties. (Whitfield, Dade & Catoosa). I was acquitted of the Catoosa County case. We all know how hard it is to fight the cowards & liars within the judicial system.

The judge denied the district attorney permission to use the evidence from Dade County case. There was no evidence at all from the Whitfield County case. That itself is against the law & violated my civil rights. The courts used three sweaters as evidence to convict me. However, 25 pieces of hair samples were removed from the the sweaters that were of Caucasian descent. I'm an African American. The other catch to the evidence is the hairs were never tested, nor were they used as evidence at the trial to prove my innocence. That is another violence or civil rules of evidence and procedure! The Caucasian hairs found was enough admissible evidence to prove my innocence. This is all unethical! There are so many flaws and errors on the courts behalf regarding his case!

I was improperly represented and did not have a fair trial. The eyewitnesses were coerced as well as their statements saying Jason committed the robberies. The videotape used during the time of trial was unclear to identify any subject. The crime scene as well as the photo array was tainted and unsecured from the beginning of the investigation. Jason had never attended nor had he been at the convenient store of the Best Inn Motel. This was all due to me allowing Officer Greg Ramey to take his photo. I was setup and charged for a crime he never committed.

A couple of years after the trial, the videotape was successsfully enhanced by a forensic expert. The expert was able to produce clear images of the two suspects involved in the robberies. After comparing the images to the photographs of me, the expert concluded that one of the makes is inconsistent. That statement alone exonerates me. The district attorney had been privy to the findings since 2006, but made no effort to have the verdict overturned or redirected to the courts for a new trial. The African American male wearing cornrows had a different nose as well as a different shaped head than I do.

Due to the lack of inadequate defense, the work to be free, has all been on me. Yet without resources or skills meant to carry this burden due to incompetent experts, lying witnesses and ineffective defense counsel my fight continues! April 2017 made 18 years that I have been incarcerated as an innocent man. I patiently waiting to hear back from the Georgia Parole Board. In July 2017, I received a denial letter from the parole board. How cruel! Imagine the hurt and anger that I feel inside knowing I'm innocence!!

From the beginning, I maintained his innocence. I am not and have never been a violent person. During my 18 years of imprisonment, I remained focused on fighting for his freedom. Of course, there is some bitterness, but I stay positive and looks forward to the day that I will be free. However, I has spent all of my life battling for mt freedom while dealing with the daily struggle of survival in a maximum-security penitentiary.

I have a smart, beautiful 18 year old daughter that has never received the chance to nurture, protect or be a father to due to injustice. Imagine the pain as a man that I feels inside not being able to provide and support my daughter. My only daughter has missed 18 long years of fun, growth and life without her father that she has to visit in prison. No man or child deserves that! I look forward to working and being a productive member of society. I eagerly anticipates visiting museums, spending time with ny family and most of all new beginnings with my daughter. I have friends and family members that supports me mentally and emotionally. Imagine the stress and sorrow my family has felt all these years. Imagine the pain and longing for me to hug my daughter.

There is nothing vicious or violent about me. I deserve to have my freedom just like everyone else. A chance to follow my dreams, to live and love. All of these things have been stripped from me. No one should ever have to endure such emotional pain, disrespect and discomfort! Everyone has a limit on what they can bear. The trick is rebounding form collapse with a sense of purpose. Everyday I wake up dreaming of the end. Every day I focus on my freedom. Every day I imaginea a future in which every day doesn’t begin and end with being locked up inside a concrete box. I deserves what was stolen from me. I have hope this bad dream will be over forever. HELP ME GET FREE FROM INJUSTICE TO JUSTICE AND HOME WITH THOSE THAT LOVE ME PLEASE!!!!!!

I look forward to the basic things in life that are often taken for granted! I know that times are tough and that everyone has many bills to pay, yet any amount helps. There is no amount too small! The funds will only be used to help ME seek an appellate attorney that can grant my life back despite of the 18 stripped years!! The purpose of this gofundme is to help free me and to aware each of you MY wrongful conviction and to seek your help in donations to get me proper legal representation so that my case can be taken to the Supreme Court by his attorney.

Any donation, however big or small, will be very much appreciated! Thank you for taking your time to read my fight for JUSTICE AND FREEDOM!!. It is very much valued and respected. Please donate and share so that we can help me get legal representation. I thank you in advance! Myself and my family thanks you for your contribution, love and support through this mental and emotional time!! Our system failed me!

Thank you for helping me make a positive difference. Your support encourages our continued commitment to reaching our goal. Your contributions helps us get one step closer to our goal. Thanks again for your generosity and support. It’s greatly appreciated!

Wrongful convictions are unfair, undeservedly and life destroying. It must no longer be allowed! The impact serves as a lifetime of undeserved negative profiling, more times than not. It destroys an individual’s ability to live a normal, honest life, work a decent job or apply a legal trade. It condemns people to suffer for something they never did, safe to say would never do! Yet the unfortunate person is forced to bear the destructive stigma for the rest of their life.

We must fight daily to shed light on the reality, in the hopes of change. If not, eliminate it permanently! Wrongful convictions must continue to be exposed. The public must remain aware! We must remain empathetic and socially concerned. Regardless of where you are, be proud and brave enough to initiate a much-needed strategy to fight wrongful convictions. The Detroit Police Chief James Craig is helping fight wrongful convictions.