Imagine being wrongly accused of something you never did, spending the prime years of your life in a cold, cramped jail cell—all while you’re fighting an uphill battle to prove your innocence to people who seem to put up hurdle after hurdle. Jonathan Irons doesn’t have to imagine it. That was his reality—for more than two decades. Join us as we hear Irons’s courageous fight for freedom and justice while considering what we might be able to do for those who are still on the long path toward freedom.
Irons was just 18 years old when he was wrongly convicted by an all-white jury for a crime that occurred when he was 16. With no physical evidence tying him to the crime, Irons was handed a 50-year prison sentence, of which he served 23 years.
Guest Bio:
Jonathan Irons and his wife Maya Moore’s story is a modern-day tale of faith, justice, and love. Wrongly convicted at 18 and sentenced to 50 years in prison, Irons spent 23 years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. Moore, a basketball superstar, met Irons before her freshman year at University of Connecticut through her family’s prison ministry. Their shared faith and commitment to justice established a deep friendship.
In 2019 at the peak of her career, Irons’s freedom became the focus of Moore’s efforts, and she stepped away from basketball. After a yearlong fight, Irons was released, and the two married shortly after. In 2023, they welcomed their son and published their memoir, Love and Justice. Today, they use their platform and nonprofit, Win With Justice, to advocate for criminal justice reform, the important role district attorneys play in the judicial system, and the power of each individual to live out their purpose and impact change.
