Lathrop GPM partner Matthew Jacober was recently featured in a Missouri Lawyers Media article, highlighting his extensive career dedicated to fighting for those who are wrongfully incarcerated. Jacober, who was named president of the board of directors for the Midwest Innocence Project earlier this year, discussed the profound impact of this work, which he describes as a field with “little recognition or funding and plenty of heartbreak.”
The article details Jacober’s involvement in the case of Laquanda “Faye” Jacobs, who was wrongfully sentenced to life in an Arkansas prison as a teenager. Through his efforts with the Midwest Innocence Project, Jacobs was released in 2018 after 26 years of incarceration. Jacober recounted the difficult decision Jacobs faced: “She could either agree to being resentenced to time served and would be released that day, or decline that, remain in prison and proceed forward with her habeas corpus.” He also highlighted the challenges Jacobs faced upon release, noting that a felony conviction makes “Jobs are harder to get, apartments are harder to get, loans are hard, everything’s harder.”
The piece also touches upon the emotional toll of this work, particularly in the case of Marcellus Williams, where despite DNA evidence and the intervention of Jacober and the Midwest Innocence Project, Williams was executed. Jacober shared the devastation, stating, “It was very, very traumatic. You…I don’t know how you handle it to be very candid with you. I think the only solace I take is we did the best we could, we worked as hard as we could, we presented the best case we could and we gave Marcellus the best shot at not being executed.”
Despite the emotional challenges, Jacober remains committed to the cause, stating, “I’m ready and when the right case comes along, I’ll get involved again.” His dedication to helping others stems from a lifelong desire to solve problems and assist people through life’s disputes.
Read the full article here [SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED]: Lathrop GPM partner dedicates career to fighting for the wrongfully imprisoned