Tyree Wallace has served 24 years for a crime he did not commit.  Wrongfully convicted and having consistently maintained his innocence, Tyree now has an opportunity to receive clemency from the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons, ultimately to be approved by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Filed by the trailblazing Pennsylvania Innocence Project on Tyree’s behalf, Tyree’s application for clemency has been pending since 2020 and your support will amplify his cause and convey to the Board the strong and widely held support that he needs. Please lend your voice to the growing community of supporters to    FREE TYREE WALLACE.

BACKGROUND:

On October 27, 1997, Mr. John Youn Su Kang was shot and killed during a robbery of his Philadelphia deli, “Salt and Pepper.”  Subsequently, Tyree Wallace was arrested and charged with murder, robbery, and related offenses. 

On November 30, 1999, Tyree was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, based solely on the testimony of three witnesses. Two of the three witnesses since recanted their testimony and explained that their original testimony was coerced through the intimidation of corrupt Philadelphia Police Officers at that time. Crucially, no physical evidence was ever discovered identifying Tyree as having participated or even being present at the homicide. Additional witness testimony discredits the conviction and Tyree’s effort to bring his case to light continues. In fact, to corroborate Tyree’s innocence, he submitted to a polygraph examination that, with the lowest possible “deception” score, determined he could “reasonably be excluded as a suspect.”  

Today, while the City of Philadelphia makes strides to formally overturn wrongful convictions, Tyree uses his own voice and power to help others – from hospice bound inmates, to school children, to activists in the community working to improve education and reduce violence in the streets.  The past two decades have shown Tyree to be a servant leader who evokes pride in everyone fortunate enough to known him.  Once free, Tyree’s ability to realize his – and our – vision of a better community will be even stronger, and we will all benefit from it.

YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS:

Your voice joins a chorus of supporters fighting for change in the criminal justice system throughout the Commonwealth, from elected officials to progressive activists throughout the public and private sectors.  Your voice matters.  Whether justice for Tyree ultimately comes from the court system or from the Board of Pardons and the Office of the Governor, we thank you for contributing to the growing swell of support.  It matters.  And it will change one man’s life for the better – a man who has dedicated his life to helping others.  FREE TYREE WALLACE