Our team

  • President

    Nelson Gonzalez is president of Innocent Demand Justice NOW! After being incarcerated for 23 years, Nelson was exonerated in 2022. He has been a part of Innocent Demand Justice since 2017, organizing behind bars. He has volunteered for Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Saint Lenard Ministries, and one other organization. His history of advocacy goes back to 1994 when his family cofounded Comité Exigimos Justicia to fight his conviction. He is passionate about reuniting families who’ve been separated under wrongful circumstances.

  • Vice-President

    Marilyn Mulero served 28 years of incarceration for a crime she did not commit. As vice president, she oversees meetings, rallies, and meet and greets with other organizations. Marilyn spends her time advocating for wrongful conviction cases. Her long term goal is to move forward with her Wrongful Conviction Trauma Center, in collaboration with IDJNOW, to help those with anxiety, PTSD, stress and other mental health issues so they can have a productive and fruitful life.

    We will not be silenced. We refuse to let the State of Illinois stop our fight—for Matthew, for the innocent, and for all those suffering under a broken, racist, and inhumane system that punishes poverty, addiction, mental illness, and race more than it delivers true justice.

  • Advocate

    Karla became actively involved in wrongful conviction advocacy during her senior year at UIC. The case she worked on culminated in an exoneration a year later. Its impact was far-reaching as she accepted an opportunity to return to advocacy at the height of the pandemic in 2020. A mother of four and entrepreneur who owns La Matriz Bakery in Chicago’s Rosemoor community, her long term goal is to provide employment opportunities for system impacted people.

  • Madeline Mendoza was only 16 years old when she was wrongfully convicted due to the harmful tactics of Detectives Rolando Guevarra and Ernest Halverson. She spent 17½ years in prison for a crime she did not commit. After her release and full exoneration, she made it her mission to help others impacted by the justice system.

    Madeline is now a member of Innocence Demand Justice Now!, where she supports families and loved ones with incarcerated relatives. She attends court hearings, shows up for those still fighting for freedom, and helps amplify voices that are often ignored.

    Now a certified daycare teacher, Madeline understands how early intervention can change a child’s life. Her goal is to open a school for at-risk youth: a safe, supportive space where every child is treated with care and given a real chance of a better future.

  • Denice and Brian are the parents of Matthew Echevarria. Over 25 years ago, in 1999, Matthew was only 17 years old when he was convicted for a murder he did not commit. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison and is currently serving that sentence at Shawnee Correctional Center—even though the witnesses later recanted their statements, and no physical evidence has ever linked him to the crime.

  • Board Member

    Daniel Rodriguez is an Illinois exoneree, lived-experience expert, and long-time advocate for justice. Wrongfully imprisoned for 17 years due to a coerced confession by corrupt Chicago police, Daniel was exonerated in 2022. For nearly a decade, he has served on the board of Innocent Demand Justice Now!, assisting in multiple cases that have led to exonerations and supporting men as they return home after incarceration. His leadership bridges the fight for systemic reform with hands-on reentry support.