The man who fought for his freedom while behind bars, inspiring a television show, ABC’s For Life, has announced his candidacy for New York City mayor.
Isaac Wright Jr., who spent seven years behind bars on drug trafficking charges, announced his plan to pursue the office currently occupied by Bill de Blasio last week.
“Our city faces many difficult problems: The challenge of economic recovery during COVID-19, policing and criminal justice reform, school desegregation, and a growing housing crisis,” said Wright, who will be running as a Democrat. “In order for New York to not only get back to where we were, but to finally fulfill our potential as the greatest city on Earth, we need people in charge who are going to fight for the working class, and not the corrupt institutions that have taken advantage of a broken system.”
“This campaign is motivated by the voices of the citizens of New York City,” he added. “We aim to give voters a greater choice, a stronger voice, increased representation, and more opportunities for a sustainable way of life.”
Wright was indicted in 1989 for leading a drug trafficking operation, possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and maintaining or operating a narcotics facility. Two years later, he was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty on all charges by a jury. He was supposed to serve at least 30 years behind bars before being eligible for parole.
While in prison, Wright studied law and helped fellow inmates with their legal proceedings.
He maintained his innocence in a lawsuit against the state and a handful of law enforcement employees, including the prosecutor on the case, Nicholas Bissell, alleging they engaged in misconduct. The suit was proven correct in 1996 when Bissell was convicted of embezzlement. Days before he was expected to be sentenced, Bissell fled to Nevada, where he killed himself, according to an article from the New York Times published at the time.
In a subsequent hearing, Wright and his lawyer, Francis Hartman, proved that his conviction was based in part on an illegal seizure of drugs and perjured testimony. Three co-defendants, all of whom were offered lenience by Bissell in exchange for cooperation, recanted their testimony incriminating Wright. He was released the same year.
Since his release, Wright graduated from Miami’s St. Thomas University School of Law in 2007, and he passed the bar exam a year later. He currently works as a lawyer for the New York firm Hunt, Hamlin & Ridley, where his focus is on “defending the wrongly accused and going after corrupt institutions,” according to the firm’s website.
His personal battle with the criminal justice system will likely resonate in the upcoming election cycle, with Election Day set for Nov. 2, 2021. The criminal justice system has been a focus in 2020 following the deaths of black people, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. All three deaths, and many others, increased the spotlight on police behavior and accountability.
“When I saw [the video of Floyd], I was angered by it. But I was not shocked. And I was not surprised by it,” Wright told People Magazine. “Specifically because I understood the undercurrent and the reasons why that happened.”
“Just a look at the face of the officer kneeling on George Floyd’s neck is indicative of the cause behind what he was doing,” he said. “His face showed no concern. There was absolutely not an iota of [comprehension of] what he was doing … But there’s a bigger picture: the true blame. The blame in totality should be put on the system.”
There will be a crowded field of politicians vying for the mayoral role. Failed 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang has been linked to the position, and a number of local officials have been connected to the mayoral race as well.
