Letters from Sing Sing - Podcast Rankings and reviews

Warning: spoilers.

This podcast will break your heart but it will also warm it. Jon-Adrian Velazquez’s (“JJ”) unwavering strength and positive attitude is a wonder to behold. He has a resolute commitment and ability to not only stay as positive as any human being can be in his situation, but to also turn it around into something good by helping others. What an inspiring and patient man. Dan Sepian (the host), JJ’s loyal family members and his attorneys all stuck by him the entire time. It’s such a difficult story to hear and it’s amazing to me that he isn’t an anger and hate-filled person after everything he’s been through. I would be! The murderer was never found or charged. Velazquez was never exonerated or compensated. It bothers me so much that there would be even one person out there who would was aware that he was in prison for a crime that he didn’t commit, let alone more than one.

How many innocent people are there right now, sitting in jail, who are not as articulate, educated or well-connected as Velazquez? According to a conservative estimate from the Innocence Project, approximately 20,000 people. This podcast shows, more than any I’ve listened to so far, how broken our system can be. It also shows though, that justice can be served on occasion. Thanks Dan Slepian and Dateline, for exposing the snakes out there. I honestly don’t know how some of these prosecutors and judges can sleep at night, I really don’t.

This is one of the most compelling stories i’ve ever heard. JJ is meant to touch many lives, it hurts my heart that he has endured such devastating injustice to be able to do so. Hearing how time and again the justice system endeavored to uphold their wrongdoing angered me so much, but this story has left me inspired. How can we as people better serve one another despite our personal hardships? Look at what JJ has accomplished while facing something much more horrific than most of us will ever know. This tragedy brought so many amazing people together. From Dan, to JJ and his mother, to the new layers. This brought me hope, a reminder that there is good to be found amongst the darkness. Thank you to everyone involved for bringing this story to the listeners and for changing lives.

JJ’s story is truly amazing. This young man took an incredibly unfortunate situation and used it to give life and voice to a problem that seems to be all to common in our justice system. This podcast had me captivated. I tell everyone I know to listen to it! Keep fighting the good fight JJ!

Great storytelling, great recaps and clear connections to other episodes or relevant cases.