Overview of TJ Weekly - Davontae Sanford
This Undisclosed Toward Justice episode features a first‑person interview with Devontae (spelled Devante in the transcript) Sanford, who was arrested at 14, tried and sentenced as an adult for a 2007 quadruple homicide in Detroit, spent roughly 9½ years in prison, and was later freed when key evidence and alternate confessions emerged. The conversation covers the arrest and interrogation, false/confused confessions, the later confession of an admitted hitman, the vacatur of Sanford’s conviction, the lack of accountability for police misconduct, and Sanford’s post‑exoneration activism and nonprofit work.
Episode summary / timeline
- 2007: A late‑night shooting on Ryan Street (Detroit) killed four people and seriously injured another. A 14‑year‑old Devontae Sanford (walking to a friend’s house) encountered police canvassing the neighborhood and was detained.
- Arrest and interrogation: Sanford was treated as an adult suspect. Police administered a gunshot residue test without explaining it, questioned him for hours without meaningful Miranda protections or access to family, and elicited confessions through pressured interrogations. He describes being scared, shown crime photos, directed to draw/identify body positions and to sign documents he didn’t understand.
- Confession issues: Multiple inconsistent confessions and signed sketches were produced; some details were wrong (e.g., weapon caliber, a closed restaurant alibi). Sanford had literacy and special‑education challenges and says police coached him through responses.
- Witness ID and plea: A surviving victim (who had differing statements) was prompted to identify Sanford in court after police obtained an ID that Sanford’s defense says was suggestive. Sanford, terrified and poorly represented, accepted a plea and was sentenced to 39–90 years as an adult.
- Alternate confession: Two weeks after Sanford’s sentencing, an identified hitman (Vincent Smothers) confessed to the Ryan Street murders. Smothers provided details, the getaway vehicle, and murder weapons locations. Prosecutors reportedly offered Smothers a 52–100 year deal to not testify for Sanford; Smothers later received a 52‑year sentence for other crimes and confessed to multiple murders at different times.
- Exoneration process: The Michigan Innocence Project, Northwestern’s Center on Wrongful Convictions of Youth, and appellate counsel eventually took up Sanford’s case. Sanford’s conviction was vacated, charges against him were dropped, and the murder case remains an open investigation (no one else has been fully prosecuted for the Ryan Street killings).
- Time served and aftermath: Sanford served ~9½ years (in adult prisons) and was released; he has been free for about 10 years at time of interview. He founded the nonprofit Innocent Dreams, speaks nationally on criminal‑justice reform, gang and violence prevention, and runs social channels (YouTube “Devante Sanford Official”, Instagram). He received compensation under Michigan’s wrongful‑conviction statute (he describes $50,000 per year) and a settlement from the City of Detroit.
Key themes & takeaways
- Juvenile interrogation vulnerabilities:
- Sanford was 14, in special education with low literacy; police did not properly protect his rights or meaningfully explain Miranda.
- Coercive interrogation tactics, show‑ups with crime scene images, and coached answers produced false/confused confessions.
- Unreliability of identifications and confessions:
- Witness statements were inconsistent; one surviving victim’s ID was allegedly shaped by police; confessions contained factual errors.
- Systemic failures and corruption concerns:
- Sanford alleges local law‑enforcement ties to drug gangs and a hitman, and feels prosecutors/ cops prioritized protecting insider relationships over justice.
- Police involved in the case later advanced in rank or retired without accountability; limited institutional consequences followed.
- Importance of effective counsel:
- Court‑appointed and subsequent counsel are described as ineffective or negligent; poor defense contributed to a coerced plea.
- Resilience, rehabilitation, and civic engagement:
- Sanford used his time to learn to read/write, survived prison culture as the youngest inmate, and now leads community outreach and advocacy to prevent youth violence.
- Limited closure:
- While Sanford’s conviction was vacated, the underlying murders remain an open investigation and no full, transparent accountability has been achieved.
Notable quotes
- “I was the kid… it wasn't even your job to save yourself.”
- “Looks can be deceiving… with just a little bit of faith, bro, it'll get you so far.”
- “I had to give up a lot… when I went to prison either you was gonna be a wolf or you was gonna be a sheep.”
Legal / procedural issues highlighted
- Failure to provide meaningful Miranda warnings and counsel to a 14‑year‑old special‑education student.
- Use of suggestive identification procedures (courtroom reenactment prompting a victim to identify Sanford).
- Coerced/confused confessions induced by lengthy, poorly documented interrogations and coachable yes/no responses.
- Prosecutorial and police decisions that potentially suppressed or ignored exculpatory information (e.g., later confessions and weapon/vehicle leads).
- Lack of accountability for officers and detectives implicated in investigative misconduct; some advanced in rank or retired.
What happened after release
- Sanford has been out roughly 10 years at the time of the interview.
- He founded Innocent Dreams, speaks on criminal‑justice reform, gang prevention, and youth programming.
- He reports receiving compensation under Michigan’s wrongful‑conviction statute (describing $50,000/year) and a settlement from Detroit.
- He has rebuilt family relationships, has three children, and travels/speaks nationally.
Where to follow / support
- Sanford’s channels mentioned in the episode: YouTube “Devante Sanford Official” and Instagram (Devante/Devontae Sanford—check spelling variations).
- Nonprofit: Innocent Dreams (mentioned by Sanford as his organization for outreach and speaking engagements).
Recommended actions for listeners (how to help / learn more)
- Follow and support exoneree‑led organizations and peer outreach groups (like Innocent Dreams).
- Educate yourself about juvenile interrogation safeguards, false confession research, and local wrongful‑conviction groups (e.g., Innocence Project and university centers).
- Advocate for policy reforms: mandatory recording of custodial interrogations, special protections for juvenile and low‑literacy suspects, and stronger avenues of accountability for police/prosecutorial misconduct.
Closing
This episode combines a harrowing wrongful‑conviction narrative with a hopeful story of resilience and civic engagement. It underscores how juvenile vulnerability, poor defense, coercive interrogation tactics, and possible corruption can produce catastrophic miscarriages of justice—and how exonerees can turn trauma into advocacy.