United States | Arguing behind bars

Volunteers teach debating skills to America’s incarcerated

It helps prepare them for life after jail

From left, Alex Taubes, Terrell Wigfall, Juel Roundtree and Rocky Lotito at a debate at Rikers Island Correctional Facility in Queens, New York, Monday, October 17, 2016. (Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times)Credit: New York Times / Redux / eyevineFor further information please contact eyevinetel: +44 (0) 20 8709 8709e-mail: info@eyevine.comwww.eyevine.com
Image: New York Times/Redux/Eyevine
|New York

“ANYONE who’s ever been in a courtroom accused of something knows that the presumption of innocence is an assumption of guilt. That’s the actual way it is,” said Domenick Crispino, bluff and jovial as he spoke from behind a lectern. He knows whereof he speaks. After the word “something” he smiled sheepishly and raised his hand: Mr Crispino, a former lawyer, spent six years behind bars.

This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Arguing behind bars”

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