Writer spent 22 years in prison before DNA evidence freed him, then his story reached Broadway

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of abuse that some readers may find distressing.

Nick Yarris’ story is the kind that sounds almost impossible until you realize it’s real. He was placed on death row for 22 years for a crime he didn’t commit, went through a desperate escape attempt, and spent years fighting for DNA evidence that would eventually set him free. However, despite that, one of the most surreal moments in his life might've been the one that got captured recently on social media, by Mickey Blank (@mickmicknyc), of him finally receiving his flowers, quite literally, on April 15.

In the clip, the cast of 'The Fear of 13', a Broadway show based on Yarris' life, starring Adrien Brody, Tessa Thompson, and others, handed out bouquets to the man himself following a successful opening night. Following this, the veteran couldn't help but shed a few tears, reflecting on his hardship-filled journey until now. "It is one of those stories where truth is stranger than fiction. And the truth of it is what’s so important," playwright Lindsey Ferrentino told the Innocence Project. 

Yarris was just 20 when he was arrested in Pennsylvania for stealing a car and the ensuing struggle with an officer whose gun was discharged. It was after this that his life turned upside down as he falsely claimed to know the person who had committed the highly publicized 1981 r*p* and murder of Linda Mae Craig. He implicated someone he knew in the hopes of receiving leniency in exchange for his cooperation, but when that person was ruled out, investigators focused on Yarris and made him the main suspect in this case. 

So, in 1982, he was convicted and sentenced to death. He spent 22 years on death row, mostly in solitary confinement, where he filled his time reading and became a powerful writer. This prompted him to seek DNA testing to prove his innocence, and he became one of the first people incarcerated on Pennsylvania's death row to demand the test. However, not all went as planned, as initial tests proved inconclusive and subsequent appeals didn't win him his freedom.

He almost lost all his hope and told the court he wanted to withdraw all his appeals and volunteer for execution. However, the court ordered one last DNA test, which went on to save his life. In 2003, the DNA test excluded Yarris and pointed to two unknown men as Craig's attackers. This made him the 140th person in the U.S. and the first sentenced to death in Pennsylvania to be exonerated by post-conviction DNA testing. This number, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, has now reached 202 since 1973.

Moreover, the largest number of death-row pris­on­ers being exon­er­at­ed of all charges relat­ed to the wrong­ful con­vic­tions came in 2003, the same year when Yarris was exonerated of his charges. This further goes to show how wholesome a gesture it was from the cast of Broadway to give their flowers to the man who actually lived the story.

Viewers were also struck by the gesture, many of whom admired the cast. "That was absolutely incredible of the cast to do that," wrote @lselioutski. @despinawest54 commented, "I LOVED this play. I saw it in previews, and it was heartbreaking and joyful. Tessa and Adrien, along with the whole cast, were awesome." @mariasavinettie said, "What amazing actors and human beings to pay honor to this man."

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