Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, Inc. (TMSF) recently announced that it has awarded a full scholarship to Alan Newton, who was released from prison in July after serving 22 years for a crime he did not commit. Newton will attend Medgar Evers College, CUNY.

Newton, who will start classes at TMSF’s member school Medgar Evers College next week, was exonerated from rape charges through the work of The Innocence Project lawyers. The lawyers secured re-testing of DNA evidence from the rape kit, which proved that Newton did not commit the crime for which he served 22 years of a 40-year sentence.

Mark Cornell, CEO of Moet Hennessey USA, saw Newton on television shortly after his release and, impressed with Newton’s optimism and lack of bitterness, reached out to Noel Hankin, senior vice president of Multicultural Initiatives at Moet Hennessey USA, and a founding board member of TMSF.

Hankin, after speaking with Dwayne Ashley, president and CEO of the fund, reached out to Newton with a full scholarship to fund his bachelor’s degree coursework. Newton earned his associates degree from Dutchess County Community College while in prison.

"Moet Hennessy USA’s endorsement of this scholarship emphasizes the high priority that the company places on supporting education and to supporting those who are seeking to enrich their lives by advancing their educational achievement,’ said Hankin.

"The awarding of this scholarship by TMSF is a great example of how our organization is fulfilling its mission of providing leadership and educational opportunities to individuals who are passionate and committed to achievement," said Ashley.

Moet Hennessy USA has shown an outstanding commitment to furthering the company’s focus on higher education through its support of Mr. Newton.

"Newton’s case was re-opened as a result of an investigation by the Innocence Project, which is actively investigating a number of cases of people, which may have resulted in wrongful convictions and imprisonment.

Newton was exonerated in June after the Innocence Project’s involvement helped to locate evidence that authorities had originally told Newton was lost.

He was released last month. The Innocence Project, a legal clinic at the Benjamin N. Cordozo School of Law, has helped to overturn the convictions of 181 people since 1992.