Lee Harris' life, shaped by a wrongful conviction that led to 33 years behind bars, ended just months after he was exonerated. Harris, known for his community activism and a slew of aspirations abruptly halted by his imprisonment, died of natural causes last Thanksgiving at 68 years old, according to The Chicago Tribune. Freed just eight months before his death, Harris had begun adapting to a city transformed since his incarceration.
The wrongful conviction stemmed from the 1989 murder of 24-year-old Dana Feitler. Harris, described as a petty thief but nonviolent, had faced intense police scrutiny and suffered overwhelming coercion that led him to confess to a crime he maintained he didn't commit, as revealed by WTTW News. His late exoneration came after years of battling his case, with Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx declaring that Harris "didn’t in fact do this" and was "likely actually innocent."
Upon his release, Harris filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Chicago and several police officers. The lawsuit accused them of framing him and violating his civil rights, which resulted in three decades lost from his life amidst the brutal confines of prison. One officer implicated, Richard Zuley, was later investigated for torture at Guantanamo Bay, with the lawsuit highlighting his "long history of engaging in precisely the kind of investigative misconduct that occurred in this case," WTTW News reports.
Despite the anguish of his wrongful conviction, Harris had shown resilience and dedication towards self-improvement and helping others while incarcerated. He obtained an associate degree, volunteered in prison ministries, and directed gospel choirs. He shared his intent to work on inspiring students and others through his experience, said an ex-cellmate who became a friend. Tragically, the dreams of a new beginning were cut short, and Harris' son Jermaine is left grappling with the profound loss of his father for a second time, first to a wrongful incarceration and now to an untimely death – as his family came to terms with their reality, so did those who admired Harris for his perseverance in the face of a decades-long ordeal, The Chicago Tribune detailed.
