Beverly Monroe is the epitome of southern gentility— gracious, warm, and impeccably mannered. She also has a degree in organic chemistry and three grown children.
In 1992, she was wrongfully convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to twenty-two years in prison.
Her story appeared in the very first Voice of Witness book, Surviving Justice: America’s Wrongfully Convicted and Exonerated, published in 2005.
Beverly was the victim of an overzealous state police agent, who was convinced she was responsible for the murder of her long-time partner.
Despite a lack of evidence, Beverly was convicted of first-degree murder.
Today, Beverly continues to advocate for criminal justice reform, working with the Students for Innocence Project at William & Mary Law School and speaking at conferences and events across the country.
Beverly’s story exemplifies the transformative power of a personal story: for the storyteller, for the reader, and—when amplified—for the world.
Find Beverly’s full story in Surviving Justice: America’s Wrongfully Convicted and Exonerated and The Voice of Witness Reader.
Teaching about wrongful conviction? Voice of Witness offers free curriculum to accompany Beverly’s story and others. Visit our lesson plans page to see if it’s a good fit for your classroom.