Gregory Bright

Gregory Bright (born 1954) is a New Orleans native who was convicted of second-degree murder in 1974 at the age of 20. He was sentenced to life without parole, served at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. After several years of appeals, Mr. Bright was granted a new trial in 2001 on the grounds that the prosecution had withheld evidence from the defense in his previous trial. On June 24, 2003, after 27 ½ years in prison for a crime they did not commit, Mr. Bright and Earl Truvia were both released after the Orleans Parish district attorney dismissed all charges. When Bright was released from prison, the State of Louisiana only provided a US$10 check and garbage bags full of legal paperwork.
Bright speaks around the country about his wrongful incarceration and life since prison. He can also be seen on HBO's Tremé and TNT's Memphis Beat.

In 2010, Mr. Bright joined Innocence Project New Orleans as Assistant Education and Outreach Director.

Lara Naughton and Gregory Bright collaborated on a documentary play based on Bright's words and recollections that exposes the failure of the criminal justice system, life in prison, and Bright's journey to freedom and forgiveness. With its first showing in 2010, the play is now performed by Bright himself under Naughton's direction.