Returning Champion of Justice Award

Sam “Muscle” Carson was born and raised in South Philadelphia. In 1995 Sam was sentenced to death and spent 16 years on Pennsylvania’s death row. During his total of 28 years incarcerated, he did the work. He co-founded organizations, mentored others on the inside, and unraveled what he knew were serious injustices in his case. On a long list of accomplishments, a few include being a founding member of the Greater Freedom Think Tank, the Right to Redemption, a trained Alternatives to Violence facilitator, a Fathers and Children Together organizer, and a regular presenter at litigation trainings.

Stuart Schuman Award for Indigent Defense

Calvin Duncan has dedicated his career to increasing access to legal services. Sentenced to die in prison for a crime he didn’t commit in his home state of Louisiana, he spent decades learning the law and providing services for others. Since his official exoneration he has continued to mentor and guide those facing serious sentences, earned his Juris Doctorate degree, and co-wrote The Jailhouse Lawyer, a riveting and educational best-selling memoir. Today he serves as the elected Clerk of the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, the same office that denied him access to his own trial records.

Community Engagement Award

Democratic nominee for Congress and state Representative Chris Rabb is a proud servant of the city we call home. During his ten years in the state House, he has fought for death penalty abolition legislation every single term in office. In 2023, his bill passed through committee for the first time, marking the most progress that has ever been made toward signing abolition into law in PA history. As he moves on from the state legislature, we celebrate his legacy of fighting for this issue.