Leroy Evans’ family hopeful for release after 40 years in prison

The community has long been seeking “equality, equity, and fairness and balance in this judicial system in this country,” said State Sen. Williams.

In making a statement in support of Evans’ release, Chester Mayor Kirkland also thanked attorney Malloy for his work.

“We stand in solidarity, to try to bring home someone who is innocent,” said Kirkland. “These men and women who stand behind me and beside me are committed to doing what is right, committed to justice, committed to upholding the law, and committing to seeing truth is… well, that truth prevails.”

Evans’ nephew, Eric Evans of Chester, was 3 years old when his uncle was incarcerated.

“It was devastating for us as a family,” said Eric Evans. “He was that male figure that we all looked to. They took away our male matriarch … No one can hear our voice. We’ve been crying out for 42 years.”

He said Leroy Evans is his father figure, as well as a mentor who taught all his nieces and nephews “how to cope with life.”

Eric Evans runs FiDonce, an organization that’s about instilling confidence in kids “on and off the [basketball] court.” A program called “From the Baller to the Briefcase” helps kids transition into careers in the business world.

He said this moment, anticipating his uncle’s release, is “bittersweet” without the foundation of the family: Leroy Evans’ mother, Alice Evans, who provided Evans and the family with emotional and spiritual support and fought for 41 years for her son’s release.

In heaven, Eric Evans said, Leroy’s sister and his mother “are crying tears of joy. But we will not be satisfied until Leroy Evans’ feet touch the ground outside.”

He noted all the other cases in Pennsylvania and nationally involving predominantly Black and brown men who were wrongfully convicted.

“The evidence, and like so many other cases, is overwhelming,” he said.

Leroy Evans’ case falls in line with a pattern of wrongful convictions in the 1980s and ’90s across the commonwealth. That’s part of the reason why Attorney General Josh Shapiro created the Conviction Integrity Unit in 2020.

“It needs to be looked at with a real fine-toothed comb,” said Eric Evans. “Because some of those people that are incarcerated are not blessed enough to come out alive. Some die in there wrongfully convicted.”

He said he’s looking forward to doing the “normal things” again with his uncle, like family dinners. He plans to take him to the beach, so he can feel the sand on his feet.

Leroy Evans’ sisters, who exclaimed joyfully Tuesday morning, said they are just waiting to embrace their brother. They believe it will happen soon.

“We want to come and put our arms around him,” said Niecy Evans. “We’re waiting for him. He’s getting ready to come here into some joy.”