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Vernon Horn at WNHH FM.
Vernon Horn celebrated when he won his freedom — then battled to take advantage of that freedom to build a new life.
Horn is one of a series of New Haveners who made headlines in recent years for being exonerated of committing crimes after they had spent decades behind bars.
Some, like Scott Lewis and Darcus Henry, have succeeded in building new lives and careers after winning their freedom. Some, like Johnny Johnson, have met unfortunate fates after giving it their best.
In his four years an an exoneree, Horn has struggled to land work and a steady income. He wants people to know about the challenges exonerees face after the headlines about their release fade.
He spoke about that during an appearance on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven.”
“I had to fight for my freedom,” Horn said. “Now I’m fighting another battle.”
Horn, who grew up in New Haven and lost both his parents by the time he was 12, was 17 wen he was arrested for allegedly participating in a botched 1999 robbery that led to the murder of a customer at the Dixwell Deli. He fought that conviction for years, first through the state, then the federal courts. The state prosecutor’s office eventually agreed to his release when a search of the basement of the home of a police officer turned up records that proved Horn was convicted based on false evidence. (Read about his case here.)
He served 17 years. U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey Meyer ordered him released for good in 2018.
Since then, Horn said, he has been unable to land work. He never finished high school or learned a trade; when he tried to sign up for adult basic ed classes, he couldn’t enroll because his old school transcripts couldn’t be found, he said. He has received help from family, from the Yale law students who helped him press his case, from fellow exoneerees like Lewis. But he still hasn’t been able to find his footing — or the right therapist to help him deal with the trauma he experienced.
“When you put a man in a cage that long, you can’t expect him to transition” without help, he said.
Exonerees deserve more than just release from prison when they’ve been unjustly locked up for years, Horn argued. The need for mental health help tops the list, he said.
Like other exonerees, Horn has filed a suit against the city in connection with his arrest. He has also begun seeking his GED: His beloved daughter has just started second grade, and he wants her to see him taking education seriously, as well. He’s determined to stay straight and succeed, he said: “I’m not going to allow anyone to trick me out of my freedom.”
Click on the video to watch the full conversation with Vernon Horn on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven.”
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I wish Mr Vernon Horn the best of luck in succeeding in pursuing his goals and turning his life around to be a role model to his children and to others who have walked in his shoes.