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After spending nearly 13 years in prison, a South Philadelphia man named CJ Rice was exonerated of four counts of attempted murder he was convicted of in 2013, as per a GoFundMe page set up on his behalf.
Charles Rice, who also goes by CJ, was sentenced to prison in 2013 at the age of 17. On the morning of Monday, March 18, 2024, the now 30-year-old man was set free from prison and is seeking to rebuild his life.
The GoFundMe page has been set up to help him “get a place to live, transportation, clothes, food, and everything he needs to start his new life.” So far, it has raised over $33,000.
CJ Rice’s conviction was overturned in December 2023
According to an exclusive cover story by CNN anchor Jake Tapper, published in The Atlantic in October 2022, CJ Rice was accused and later convicted of a crime he did not commit, aka, four counts of attempted murder.
Jake Tapper in his article explained how his father and Philadelphia doctor Theodore Tapper treated CJ Rice for gunshot wounds only a few days before the September 25, 2011 shooting that happened in South Philadelphia.
He added that as per his father’s medical expertise, it was physically impossible for CJ to commit the crime due to his severe injuries as he could barely walk. Jake Tapper even called Rice’s original defense “dangerously incompetent.”
Back then, CJ Rice was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison and spent the last decade in the State Correctional Institution Chester in Delaware County. However, in November 2023, Rice petitioned, claiming that his incarceration was unlawful and that he was an innocent man.
The following month, the federal court ordered that Rice be either released from custody upon careful review of the case or be retried within 180 days. That same month, his conviction was overturned on the basis that his legal team was incompetent and insufficient evidence was provided.
On Monday, the Common Pleas Court in Philadelphia legally exonerated him, which was later announced by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania via a press release.
Since his release, a fundraiser has been launched in his name on GoFundMe titled “Help an innocent man rebuild his life.” It has a YouTube video attached narrating CJ’s story along with a long description.
“He is now trying to rebuild his life after thirteen years were stolen from him. This GoFundMe is being run by Dream.Org, which helps people give second chances. JP Morgan Chase is helping CJ with the finances,” it stated.
The description further continued,
“He wants to become a paralegal. He wants to embrace this opportunity. If you have the means, we are asking that you help us help him restart his life. If you can afford to donate, C.J. would appreciate your help, too, so he can pay rent, go to school, buy groceries, and try to restart his life.”
A link to Jake Tapper’s cover story was also included to help people learn more about CJ. At the time of writing, 544 people have donated to the fundraiser.
The GoFundMe page also features links to several social media platforms including X, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram to help donors spread the word about CJ Rice’s exoneration and share the fundraiser to help Rice get more donations.
Notably, Jake Tapper took to X and wrote “FINALLY, JUSTICE” in the wake of CJ Rice’s exoneration on Monday.
