My name is Danielle Laskie-Wright, and I’ve spent my life as an animal rights advocate and taking care of people in peri-operative services. However, my life changed dramatically in October of 2014 when I met my husband, Tim Wright Jr., who is serving 63 years in a Virginia prison for a crime that he is innocent of.
At that moment I decided to become a human rights advocate, fighting for justice. It has been scary, stressful and difficult considering that I live in Australia and have no legal experience. But I am a determined woman, who believed in the years of hard work and evidence that Tim had put together in his case. It was obvious he is innocent, and it was just a matter of the right people seeing that evidence.
So I turned to social media and over 4 years I networked to bring much needed attention to Tim’s case. While we are forever indebted to the many individuals who support Tim and I, as evidenced by the included “VIDEO“, this process has been a brutal experience especially for me. I never expected it to be so difficult to find support for a wrongful conviction, or for it to be so costly to engage the necessary investigators and experts to effect Tim’s release from prison.
I am by nature a proud woman but Tim and I have exhausted all other means of financing the legal cost of proving his innocence. He works a 45¢ an hour prison job, I work 60-80 hours a week, I have maxed out my credit cards and Tim and I have asked for as much as our families can offer. It was at this point that we realized we needed help from the community who believe in us and Tim’s innocence.
We need your donations to fund three specific things in Tim’s case;
(1) To investigate further the witnesses and evidence that proves Tim’s innocence: This will include hiring investigators who are specifically skilled and knowledgeable in questioning witnesses, evidence recovery and police misconduct. The average Virginia licensed private investigator cost between $40-80 an hour and we expect with travel and the extensive nature of the case, for there to be a minimum 160 hours required at a cost of $6,400 – $12,800.
(2) Experts in specific fields to further corroborate Tim’s innocence: This will include hiring certified experts in the area of cell phone technology, video surveillance technology, ballistics – firearms technology and trajectory analysis. Each expert must be licensed and certified and all expenses paid including travel and testimony. The estimated cost for each expert witness is $5,000 for a total of $20,000.
(3) Legal fees associated with hiring an attorney: Every attorney that has looked at Tim’s case has said, that if his case gets overturned for a new trial they will represent him pro-bono (free). But we have to pay the cost associated with filing a Writ of Actual Innocence or Motion to Vacate which we cannot afford. The minimum legal fee necessary to prove Tim’s innocence is $25,000.
Honestly this is the most frightening position that I have ever been in my entire life. Raised as a strong, independent woman with six years of military service, I have always been able to take care of myself and those around me. Yet for the first time in my life, someone I love is in a situation that regardless of how hard we both fight, we are at the mercy and graciousness of complete strangers for help.
Without warning, Tim was arrested in the afternoon of May 6, 2008 and tragically he was framed for a murder committed by a Deputy Sheriff’s son. Convicted on October 4, 2008, the evidence that could have proven his innocence was never presented in the Court and even trajectory analysis reports that would have further proven his innocence, have conveniently gone missing.
Tim, like many other wrongfully convicted prisoners in the United States, needs trustworthy, knowledgeable and experienced investigative, expert and legal representation in order to be exonerated and come home. It is unthinkable that my husband, an honorable, honest man, a decorated veteran, father and son, would spend the rest of his life in prison for a murder he did not commit while the guilty individual is about to go free.
I cannot begin to say thank you enough to all those who take the time to read and share in our story, helping to #FreeMyHusband. Each of you have become a part of our journey and made what would be frightening, bearable through your donations. I will be sharing updates and hope that you will continue to follow us as Tim’s case progresses.
As I am still living in Australia where I take care of my elderly mother, Tim’s sister Ashley Gil has offered to act as the beneficiary for this fundraiser. Unfortunately, major crowd funding platforms like GoFundMe do not support legal fundraisers which is why we are using Pay-Pal and Venmo as a secure way to receive donations. All funds will be transferred to an account and used only for the three specific needs in Tim’s case.
Should you decide to make a direct donation to support Tim’s case, you may do so by sending a check or money order to:
Mrs. Ashley Gil
For: Free My Husband Tim Wright Jr.
P.O. Box 2004
Springfield, Va. 22152
Thank you in advance for your support of my husband and believing in his freedom. I am especially eager to get him back home where he can bring inspiration into this world.
