PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Centurion, the oldest national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping vindicate the wrongfully convicted across the United States, recently announced the addition of international best-selling author John Grisham to its board of directors.

Grisham’s work includes The Firm, The Pelican Brief, and The Client, among many others as more than 300 million copies of his novels have been sold across the globe, while nine of his stories have been adapted to film. His writing is heavily influenced by his decade-long role as a criminal defense and personal injury litigation lawyer. Published in 2019, John’s most recent work, The Guardians, uncovers the story of Quincy Miller, a wrongfully convicted Black man imprisoned for two decades and his advocate, Cullen Post, based on Centurion’s founder, Jim McCloskey. Grisham also wrote a foreword to McCloskey’s recently published memoir, When Truth is All You Have (Doubleday, 2020).

“My experience as a defense lawyer inspired me to explore criminal cases through writing, and I’m humbled to work with this deeply experienced organization that gives people who’ve been wrongfully convicted their lives back,” said Grisham. “Jim gave me the gift of his story and I was honored to share that message through The Guardians. I’m honored to support the Centurion team.”

"John’s extraordinary success aside, he’s been a long-time supporter of Centurion and well understands the oft-overlooked national issue of wrongful conviction,” said Rob Mooney, Chairman of Centurion and CEO of Snowden Lane Partners. “John brings an informed voice and a high profile that will help elevate our goal."

Added Jim McCloskey: “John is a long-time friend and ally. Make no mistake: wrongful conviction is a crisis and his advocacy on behalf of imprisoned innocents helps us shed a bright light on the criminal justice system and the need for it to reform.”

Since 1983, Centurion has helped free 63 men and women serving life or death sentences. For 12 years, Centurion was the only organization dedicated to vindicating the wrongfully convicted. Now, there are more than 55 “innocence groups” with the same mission. Centurion’s efforts include re-investigating cases, examining evidence, working with witnesses, overturning false confessions, and occasionally finding the true perpetrator. The organization has worked on more than 100 wrongfully convicted cases.

About Centurion

Centurion is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Princeton, NJ with a mission to vindicate the wrongfully convicted. Founded in 1983, Centurion was the first organization in the world established to investigate claims of factual innocence and help victims of wrongful convictions secure their freedom. Centurion takes on the most challenging cases, specifically those with no DNA evidence available to prove our clients’ innocence. To date, Centurion has freed 63 men and women who were serving life or death sentences for crimes they did not commit. Centurion is currently working on behalf of 21 clients who are pursuing their rightful freedom.

For more information about Centurion, please visit https://centurion.org/.