John Artis
In memory of John Artis - Sad and Untimely passing on November 7, 2021 in Hampton, Virginia.
John was a friend, colleague and strong supporter of the wrongly convicted persons worldwide. He was an integral part of IWCD since its launch internationally in 2014. John attended and participated in all but one IWCD event in Toronto. He opposed the death penalty and attended Amnesty International's Cities for Life in Toronto when he could.
John was presented with the Rubin Hurricane Carter Champion of Justice Award by AIDWYC/Innocence Canada in 2013. The tribute to John read as follows:
” In recognition and respect of your courage and unwavering devotion to the truth despite the catastrophic consequences. Your continued selfless commitment and dedication to Rubin Hurricane Carter is inspirational and heroic.”
At the 2015 IWCD Toronto event John accepted the Rubin Hurricane Carter Champion of Justice Award on behalf of Rubin who received it posthumously. David MacCallum, a New York exoneree whose case Rubin championed, presented the award to John.
John is best known for being Rubin's co-accused and his hero and was lauded for saving the lives of four guards during a prison riot at Rahway Prison in New Jersey. He also helped to create the Scared Straight program while in prison and upon his release he spent the next 30 years counseling troubled youth.
John participated in AIDWYC's 20th Anniversary conference in 2013 and it's 25th Anniversary conference in 2018. He had many friends in Canada and knew many of Canada's wrongly convicted who admired and respected him.
John will be deeply missed for his courage, sense of humour, selflessness, and indomitable spirit.
John will through his legacy inspire further generations and the wrongly convicted will continue to admire and respect that legacy.
To learn more:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/11/nyregion/john-artis-dead.html
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/john-artis-defendant-hurricane-carter-dies-75-81156289
