When They See Us, Ava DuVernay’s four-part Netflix limited series on The Exonerated Five, recently received 11 Primetime Emmy nominations. Chief among the nominations was Jharrel Jerome, who earned an Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Series or Movie for his heartbreaking portrayal of Korey Wise, one of five men who were wrongfully convicted for the rape and assault of Trisha Meili in 1989.
As the Netflix series depicts, Wise was in a relationship with a girl named Lisa before his incarceration. Lisa was portrayed by actress Storm Reid, who also portrayed Meg Murry in A Wrinkle In Time and currently portrays Gia Bennett on HBO’s Euphoria.
While the series shed light on the unfair treatment of Black and Latinx boys in the criminal justice system, it left viewers with one question: What happened to Lisa?
In a recent tweet, DuVernay revealed that Lisa, unfortunately, passed away before Wise was released from prison when the conviction was vacated in 2002.
I’m sorry. Korey never reconnected with his girlfriend from the time of his arrest. Sadly, she passed away before he was released from prison 13 years later. Whenever Korey mentions Lisa to this day, he always adds “Rest in Peace.” I truly hope she is. #WhenTheySeeUs https://t.co/rBkofABUcT
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) July 30, 2019
Since his release from prison, Wise has gone on to become a public speaker and advocate for criminal justice reform.
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