I Spent 12 Years In Jail For A Murder I Did Not Commit! Raphael Rowe

Raphael Rowe was expelled from his first secondary school after his mother slapped a teacher for verbally insulting him. He was later expelled from another all-boys school, William Penn, due to a lack of support for his troubled home life, leading him to bunk off, get into fights, and associate with the wrong crowd.

As a teenager, Raphael Rowe started committing petty crimes such as shoplifting, breaking into cars, and burglary. He recalls getting caught stealing Curly Wurly chocolate bars from the Co-op and committing burglaries and shoplifting for desired material possessions.

Raphael Rowe lived in an environment where carrying a knife was normalized, seen as an extension of personality and authority. He used a knife, stabbing someone in the buttocks, and later was attacked and stabbed in the face himself while trying to intervene in a fight.

Raphael Rowe was arrested just two months after his son was born. He had limited contact with his son during the initial two months, and his imprisonment led to the end of their relationship. He chose not to force contact after his release, respecting his son's mother's wishes and his son's potential reluctance.

Raphael Rowe was accused of being involved in a murder, attempted murder (stabbing), and a series of aggravated robberies that occurred over a single night on the M25. The murder involved an elderly man who died of a heart attack after being attacked and beaten by a gang of three men.

Despite evidence not matching his physical description and his alibi, Raphael Rowe was convicted. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder, 15 years for attempted murder, and two 12-year sentences for aggravated robberies, totaling life plus 56 years. Maintaining his innocence meant he was destined for natural life imprisonment.

Raphael Rowe studied the law and a correspondence journalism course to understand how the media worked. He used this knowledge to plant stories in national newspapers about prison issues or evidence disclosure, ultimately challenging his conviction and generating public interest.

The BBC 'Rough Justice' program aired a long investigation into Raphael Rowe's wrongful convictions. This credible platform questioned his conviction and secretly recorded a key witness admitting to fabricating evidence for the police, providing crucial information for his appeal.

Raphael Rowe's release came after the European Court of Human Rights unanimously concluded he was denied a fair trial due to police conspiracy and suppressed evidence. This led the British court system to re-look at his conviction, which was eventually quashed in 2000 by the Court of Appeal after 12 years of wrongful imprisonment.

While his convictions were quashed, the judges' statements were ambiguous, making derogatory remarks about the 'non-safety' of his convictions rather than outright declaring innocence, possibly as a 'damage limitation' measure. Raphael Rowe only received an apology from a senior Metropolitan Police officer much later.

After release, Raphael Rowe struggled with basic decision-making and found it challenging to be open and honest in relationships due to an innate fear of information misuse from his prison experience. He notes he should have sought psychological help but didn't have time due to starting a new career.

Raphael Rowe's foundation focuses on 'rethinking, rehumanizing, and reintegrating' prisoners. It aims to encourage policymakers and businesses to rethink the purpose of prison, provide education and skills training for inmates, address underlying traumas, and improve prison conditions globally.

Raphael Rowe does not forgive those who deliberately destroyed his life, stating they don't deserve his forgiveness. He believes forgiveness is just a word and doesn't stop personal growth, and while he is no longer bitter or angry in a destructive way, he remains angry about their role in his wrongful conviction.

Responding to a question about erasing traumatic experiences, Raphael Rowe states he would not erase his 12 years in prison as it shaped who he is today. However, he regrets not forcing the issue to establish a relationship with his son, feeling it was a mistake with lasting consequences.