Always on
This project successfully funded on 29th June 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
Charged or Not? Interactive Fundraiser
Bridport, Dorset, United Kingdom
Aim: Become the virtual jury on a weekly quiz with real cases, raising funds to investigate the case of Orien Joiner, judicially executed in 2000
About Me:
Hi, I’m Alfie. I recently graduated a Bachelors in Filmmaking, having spent a year abroad during my studies. It was there that I developed a strong passion for documentary filmmaking and investigative storytelling. This summer, I’ve been awarded a fellowship with the Justice League - a nonprofit organisation founded by renowned human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith OBE. Together with two other inquisitive, and ambitious minds, this summer I’ll be heading to Texas to research the case of Orien Joiner, who was executed in 2000 on the basis of circumstantial evidence. Within this time, I will be both assisting the project and compiling footage to document it.
The Project:
In June, we’ll travel to Texas as part of the Post Mortem Project—a Justice League initiative dedicated to investigating potential wrongful executions in the United States since 1976.
Our focus is the case of Orien Joiner. We’ll be conducting in-depth research into the events that led to his conviction, including reaching out to those involved in the original investigation and court proceedings. Our goal is to reconstruct a more complete and truthful picture of what happened—one that goes beyond the narrow, circumstantial evidence presented at trial.
Orien's innocence remains a real and troubling possibility. If that's the case, then an irreversible injustice may have been done.
The Case:
In 1986, Orien Cecil Joiner was sentenced to death for a double murder in Lubbock, Texas. The case against him relied entirely on circumstantial evidence—there was no physical evidence directly linking him to the crime, and the prosecution never proved his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Despite this, Orien spent 12 years on death row and was executed by lethal injection in July 2000. He maintained his innocence until his final moments, stating:
“They will realize they witnessed an innocent man going to be with Jesus Christ.”
Orien’s execution took place during a period when concerns about the fairness and reliability of capital punishment were growing nationwide. One key figure in Orien’s case was Dr. Ralph Erdmann, a disgraced pathologist who was convicted of multiple counts of evidence tampering and purgery. His work was later discredited in numerous Texas murder trials. Erdmann’s involvement raises serious doubts about the integrity of the original investigation and prosecution. While Orien’s voice was silenced in 2000, his final words—and the unresolved questions surrounding his conviction—continue to echo.
Orien’s case remains unresolved. The gaps in the original investigation and the absence of conclusive evidence raise serious questions. With your support, we aim to re-examine the facts, speak to those involved, and help determine whether a tragic miscarriage of justice occurred.
The Quiz:
Starting 25th May 2025, I’ll be running a weekly series of four interactive quizzes. Each one will put you in the shoes of a jury member, reviewing real-life cases and deciding whether charges should be brought.
By donating, you’ll gain access to each quiz—complete with the correct verdict and a breakdown of the reasoning behind it (no spoilers until you've had your say!). All quizzes will be released to the public weekly, but only donors will receive the answers and explanations.
Think of it as your way to explore justice, test your judgment vs a court, and support a cause that aims to find the truth.
Funding:
As part of my fellowship at the Justice League I have been provided a grant to support research into the case. While this, and my own savings will be stretched as far as possible, any donations will be of great help to support this research.
I’m aiming to raise £1,000 to help cover essential, everyday expenses that make this kind of inquest possible—things like travel, accommodation, and basic research materials. Every contribution goes directly towards making this investigation as thorough and impactful as possible.
Thank you so much for your time and any donations you're able to provide!
(Donor-specific quizzes will be sent as soon as possible through crowdfunder messages/email, and weekly updated quizzes will be sent to the entire donation pool as soon as they are released)