Help Bring Wesley Home
My name is Wesley Young. I lost nearly 18 years of my life to a wrongful conviction. In 2019, I was released after prosecutors raised serious doubts about the integrity of my case. After returning home, I began working to rebuild my life and support my family. When my fiancé was diagnosed with breast cancer, I became her full-time caregiver through surgeries, infections, and the loss of our unborn child.
In 2023, under intense financial and emotional strain, I made a mistake that led to a federal charge. Because of the discredited prior conviction, I was labeled a “Career Offender,” significantly increasing my sentence. Even as recently as 2024, state prosecutors reaffirmed that my co-defendants and I were innocent of the original shooting. Yet no action was taken to correct the record before my federal sentencing. As a result, I was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison. I made a serious error in judgment and I am deeply regretful of my actions. My family and I are respectfully asking President Donald Trump for clemency to give us a second chance.
Please take a moment to learn about my story and stand with me by signing my Change.org petition.
“You realize you just spent 20 years in jail for a crime you didn’t commit?” - Ryan Mears, Chief Deputy Prosecutor - Marion County, Indianapolis in reference to co-defendant Kendrick Morris
The same body of evidence presented at the joint trial was used to convict all three defendants — Wesley Young, Kendrick Morris, and Steven Kendall. Accordingly, the comments made by Mears apply equally to all three men.
https://f.io/mz3QHWhb
“I ordered the file and I went through the file myself. I didn’t like the transcript, there were parts of the transcript that bothered me and concerned me and there were some things to me as a prosecutor, and I’ve also been a defense attorney, that I felt like maybe could’ve been made more clear to the jury.” - Ryan Mears
“But then I got a chance to meet with the witness and we just sat down in this conference room and talked and she was so sincere and just so devastated by what had happened. If she was lying to me, I’d give her an academy award.” - Ryan Mears
Wesley, pictured with the now-adult victim Tiara McGinty, Kendrick Morris, and Steven Kendall taken in August 2023
My Story
State of Indiana v. Wesley Young - Case# 49G20-0105-MR-108799
In 2001, thirteen year-old Tiara McGinty (pictured) was shot in her back and thigh during a violent attack at her home on Carrollton Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana. Myself, Kendrick Morris, and Steven Kendall were arrested for the crime. During a joint-trial in February 2002, we were wrongfully convicted of Attempted Murder, Aggravated Battery, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. I was sentenced to 60 years in prison.
At trial, the only witness who identified me withdrew her testimony, stating that the lead detective had shown her my picture and pressured her into naming me. There was no physical evidence linking any of us to the crime. Years later, the victim herself recanted her identification of Kendrick Morris and accused the same detective of manipulating her testimony.
Throughout my incarceration, I maintained my innocence and fought for my freedom.
On February 19, 2019, the late-Chief Deputy Prosecutor Terry Curry granted a modification of my sentence and released me from state prison. Current Chief Deputy Prosecutor Ryan Mears granted Kendrick Morris a modification of sentence the following year. Steven Kendall’s conviction had been vacated in 2008. We then began working with the Indiana Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) to secure a Certificate of Actual Innocence and achieve exoneration.
Because of the conviction on my record, I was unable to secure permanent employment. I never received any financial assistance from Marion County, Indiana. I worked temporary construction jobs when I could, but I injured my back after falling through the third floor of a house I was renovating.
During this time, my fiancé was diagnosed with breast cancer, creating immense emotional and financial strain. Facing the pressures of her illness and the tragic loss of our child due to treatment, I made the regrettable decision to sell drugs to cover living and medical expenses.
Consequently, on November 8, 2023, I was arrested on a federal charge of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
The Indiana Conviction Integrity Unit Co-Directors, Jessica Cicchini and Kelly Bauder, and Chief Deputy Prosecutor Ryan Mears were immediately notified that the federal prosecutor intended to use the wrongful conviction to impose a Career Offender enhancement. They were asked to intervene on my behalf, but they refused.
At a meeting on December 9, 2024, Mears reaffirmed that I, along with my co-defendants, Kendrick Morris and Steven Kendall, were innocent. He emphasized that my current federal charges should not affect the resolution of my wrongful conviction. However, he stated that, without newly discovered evidence, his office could neither grant an exoneration nor move to vacate the conviction, (in stark contradiction to his statements made on the 93.1FM WIBM radio station interview, which is linked below). He stated that the CIU had completed its investigation and would not pursue further relief.
Because of the Career Offender enhancement triggered by my wrongful conviction, I was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison.
At the 2025 Innocence Network Conference, my fiancé learned that Kelly Bauder, had instructed Mears to drop the case following my arrest. When my fiancé asked Bauder why she didn’t use Indiana Trial Rule 60b to vacate my sentence, Bauder stated that she didn’t know if it would work. However, Bauder had already used Indiana Trial Rule 60b to initiate the exonerations of Leon Benson and Anthony Bedolla.
The wrongful conviction also increased my security-level, so that I am forced to endure my incarceration at a medium-level facility. I am currently serving my prison sentence at FCI Victorville Medium II.
I made a terrible mistake but I am not a Career Offender. I am not a violent offender and I don't deserve to spend the rest of my life prison.
My family and I are respectfully asking President Donald Trump to show mercy by granting me Clemency.
Please sign my petition at Change.org Link: https://c.org/sjQGg7dZ6s
If a judge or prosecutor has the discretion to vacate a sentence, why wasn’t my conviction vacated?
“As we went through that case and looked through that case, we had some significant concerns about that conviction, and we actually agreed to release him.” - Ryan Mears in regard to Wesley’s co-defendant, Kendrick Morris
“The case of the State of Indiana v. Kendrick Morris, which is really what kinda started the idea and then really hammered home for me the point that this is the unit that we need to start” - Ryan Mears - In reference to his motivation to create the Indiana Conviction Integrity Unit
Whenever there is someone where they point out that there is evidence that may prove that they are innocent do they have to go back through and always have a second trial? “It depends, a lot of that is up to the judge. And so, one of the things that a judge can do when there is newly discovered evidence, a judge can order a new trial or the judge can just vacate the conviction and say based off the evidence that’s been presented I don’t think this conviction is just and it needs to be set-aside.”
“And then the PROSECUTOR would have the option of do we think its appropriate to do a retrial or do we agree with the position of the judge. So there are multiple outcomes that could take place as a result of these investigations.”
Tiara McGinty and her entire family have fought for my complete exoneration. They came to every court date, attended every meeting, and have done all they can to help us move forward.
Key Statements from Opinion Letters Written in Support of My Innocence
“I am of the opinion that Kendrick Morris and Wesley Young are in fact innocent of the crimes of attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm which occurred in Marion County, Indiana, on April 14, 2001. I also believe that the newly discovered evidence was strong in support of the need for a new trial.
I base this belief on the police reports and the unimpeached recantation of the identification by Tiara McGinty, under oath, on two occasions.”
- Frances Watson, President of the Board of The Indiana Innocence Project
“It is safe to say that no elected prosecutor will voluntarily reduce a prison sentence for attempted murder so dramatically unless there is exceptionally strong reason to think that the conviction was defective.
I know that Mr. Young is continuing his quest for complete exoneration, and I am certain that he fully merits such relief.”
- Mike Mazzoli, Attorney at Cox and Mazzoli; served as Wesley’s co-counsel during his federal proceedings.
“I am of the opinion that Wesley Young is in fact innocent of the crime of Attempted Murder and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Upon Young’s indictment on the federal charge of Conspiracy to Possess with an intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance it was to be expected that the Indiana Conviction Integrity Unit would preemptively conclude its investigation into Young’s claim of actual innocence.
The federal application of Young’s prior state conviction for Attempted Murder and Felon in Possession of a Firearm precipitated a career offender guideline designation, which aggravated his sentence beyond a just and reasonable term.
I respectfully recommend the full commutation of Young’s federal sentence to time served. The granting of Young’s clemency petition is an appropriate and warranted action to address this demonstrated miscarriage of justice.”
- Derrick Hamilton, Deputy Director of the Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice at Cardozo School of Law
Key Statements from Opinion Letters Written in Support of My Innocence
“I am a former prosecutor of 16 years and a criminal defense attorney. I have tried numerous serious felony and murder cases.
I became familiar with Wesley Young and his attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm convictions in Marion County under cause number 49G02-0105-MR-799 when I was asked to intercede with the Marion County Prosecutor to acquire his consent to a second Modification of Wesley’s sentence.
I believe that, based upon the facts and the recantation, Wesley is in fact innocent of the crimes of attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.”
- Mark K. Sullivan, Attorney — Former Chief Deputy Prosecutor for Pike County, Indiana, and former Chief Trial Deputy with the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.
“It was built on recanted eyewitness testimony, suppressed exculpatory evidence, and abandoned investigative leads - failures so serious they undermine any confidence in the verdict.Yet despite this unresolved history, that same conviction was used to classify Mr.Young as a “career offender” in federal court, inflating his sentence and compounding the harm of a potential error rather than correcting it.
On the basis of both merit and equity, Mr. Young is an outstanding candidate for clemency.”
- Steven Rhodes, Former U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe and Adjunct Professor at California State University, Dominguez Hills
“While one of three received assistance getting back on his feet the other two were left to fend for themselves. Is it any wonder that those two ended up breaking the law as they struggled to exist. Two men swallowed up, eaten by the system and then spit out found they could not survive and take care of their families, so they ended up with the only job available that doesn’t require a clean record, college degree or experience – drugs. All of this is very sad and a black eye on society for allowing this to happen.
But what is worse is that no one, and definitely not the Marion County District Attorneys CIU whose mission is to NOT let these things happen, allowed it to happen anyway.
With the unwillingness of Ryan Mears to step in and declare that Wesley should not be considered a Career Offender he practically signed Wesley’s death warrant. How is Wesley expected to serve 19 years for something he didn’t do and then serve another 23 years for a survival mistake?
- Shannon Coleman, Advocate for the Wrongfully Convicted
I was working on rebuilding my life after spending 18 years in prison for a crime I did not commit
