Jerome Chambers (far left), Alfred Cleveland (center), and the team of “The Lynched Among Us” stand outside the Lincoln Theatre, where they will perform Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Credit: Courtesy of Alfred Cleveland
Alfred Cleveland was 25 years old when he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison, despite evidence of his innocence.
After 26 years behind bars Cleveland, now out on parole, is turning to the arts to share his story.
Cleveland is now the co-founder of Voices of Injustice, a wrongful conviction advocacy group based in the greater Cleveland area. Created by VOI, “The Lynched Among Us” is a stage play written and directed by Cleveland. The production, presented by the Ohio State Bar Foundation — a statewide nonprofit dedicated to promoting a “just and equitable legal system for all Ohioans,” according to its website — and the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, will debut in Columbus at the Lincoln Theatre Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
According to CAPA’s website, “The Lynched Among Us” brings to life the real stories of six men who were wrongly convicted of serious crimes, told in their own words. Through a blend of film, music and storytelling, the production highlights their struggles in navigating life after unjust incarceration.
“The conversation is usually about ‘How do we punish folks’, or ‘How do we correct people.’It’s not really about what happens to folks after they’ve done their time and done their due diligence and are trying to come back into society,” said Philip Kim, marketing and communications manager at the Ohio State Bar Foundation. “That’s an important conversation that is usually missing from the dialogue.”
According to VOI’s website, Cleveland was sentenced to life in prison for the 1991 murder of Marsha Blakely in Lorain, Ohio. He was one of four men charged — and one of two now on parole — based on the testimony of William Avery Jr., who later admitted to falsely accusing them in exchange for a cash reward.
A December 2024 statement from Lorain County Prosecutor J.D. Tomlinson noted that multiple alibis placed Cleveland in New York City at the time of the murder, which was over 500 miles away from where the murder took place.
Cleveland said members of VOI connected through the Ohio Innocence Project — a nonprofit dedicated to assisting those wrongfully convicted formed about a year ago — and began exploring new ways to raise awareness.
He said he started writing skits based on the group members’ experiences, also collaborating with We Amplify Voices — a Columbus-based nonprofit focused on amplifying underrepresented voices through art — to support the creative process while he was still transitioning back into society.
“All of our stories are like huge trainwrecks — all tragic, wrongful convictions — so how can we capture what we need to capture for what we’re doing?” Cleveland said. “I had to listen for certain things that grabbed my heart, and I started writing.”
Jerome Chambers, assistant director of and lead actor in the play, said the stories highlighted in the play are narrated using several media elements including documentary film, music and monologues. The final project, he said, is the result of months of work, with the cast hand-making everything from props and sets to the soundtrack.
Chambers described the show as “like a hip-hop, musical, drama, theater, true story, docuseries, crime, hard gospel story of triumph.”
Cleveland said the show’s date and location were deliberately chosen to align with Black History Month and Valentine’s Day at a theater in a historically Black neighborhood in Columbus.
“I scheduled it around Valentine’s Day on purpose because it’s a lot of love in this play,” Cleveland said. “I thought it was important for Black people to see it — all people really — but it’s important for Black history at the theater that has Egyptian writings on its pillars. I knew it was historical, but when I saw it, I was like, ‘This is it,’ automatically.”
Kim said each year, OSBF selects a class of attorney fellows to undertake a project of their choice to improve Ohio’s legal system. This year, the class chose to focus on re-entry — a court program designed to support individuals transitioning back into their communities after incarceration.
Before the 7:30 p.m. show, Kim said OSBF will host its “Re-entry Simulation” Saturday at 10 a.m. in collaboration with The Petey Greene Program — a Princeton, New Jersey-based organization that supports education for incarcerated individuals.
During the simulation, participants will be assigned a fictional identity and must navigate the challenges of rebuilding their lives after prison. Following the simulation, Kim said the Ohio Justice Bus will provide free legal consultations from 1-4 p.m.
Kim noted that ending the day with the true story of “The Lynched Among Us” adds a powerful layer of authenticity to the experience.
“I think it’s really important the general public, but also professionals in the legal system — attorneys, judges, social workers — really hear stories from people who have been part of the justice system and experienced it firsthand,” Kim said.
Chambers said this message also applies to students, as many wrongfully convicted individuals fall within their age group — with some even being convicted as minors.
“Some of the exonerees were juveniles, under 18, when they got these wrongful convictions. This could happen to anyone, not just Black people,” Chambers said. “Wrongful convictions and exonerees come in every shape, color, size, race, ethnicity and cultural background, so it’s important that students are aware of the fact that these things can happen.”
Despite the heavy subject matter of the play, Cleveland said it’s important for audiences to see and hear their stories.
“When they leave, they’re going to be hurting, they’re going to be questioning things, but their eyes will be open,” Cleveland said. “They’ll be awakened to another side of the justice system. They need to go into this thing with their eyes wide open.”
General admission tickets can be purchased for $13.31 online. For more information on the event, including how to purchase tickets, visit CAPA’s website.
