Inspired by Innocence

In 1992, Claude Garrett was wrongfully convicted of the murder of his fiancé, Lori Lance, after a horrific house fire took place in their Old Hickory, Tennessee home. He always maintained his innocence, and his conviction was largely based on assumptions about arson and fire behavior that were later debunked. His daughter, Deana, was just six years old when he went to prison. In this video, she outlines what it was like for her growing up and coming to terms with her father’s circumstances and her road to becoming a champion for his innocence.

After nearly 30 years of fighting for his freedom, Claude was exonerated in May of 2022 with the help of the Tennessee Innocence Project. We filmed with Claude in September of 2022 for the TN Innocence Project’s annual video. Sadly, just a few weeks later, after only five months of freedom, Claude passed away. With Deana’s permission, we are continuing to share their story.