After 44 Years, It’s Time to Bring Ralph “Trent” Stokes Home
Ralph “Trent” Stokes was 19 years old when he was arrested in Philadelphia in 1982. He is now 63.
For more than 44 years, he has been imprisoned for a triple homicide he did not commit. Much of that time has been spent in solitary confinement, isolated in a cell no larger than a bathroom.
In 2004, Trent’s attorneys filed a federal petition asking the court to review evidence that was never disclosed to his defense. That process, called a writ of habeas corpus, exists to protect people who may be imprisoned unlawfully. More than 22 years later, the court still has not ruled.
Twenty-two years.
No one should have to wait that long simply to have a court decide whether evidence of innocence deserves to be heard.
Trent’s case did not happen in isolation. It came out of a period in Philadelphia that has since become synonymous with wrongful convictions, withheld evidence, official misconduct, and deeply flawed death penalty prosecutions.
The prosecutor in Trent’s case was Roger King, one of Philadelphia’s most notorious homicide prosecutors. Multiple convictions he secured have since been overturned because of serious misconduct, including withholding evidence that should have been disclosed to the defense. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has publicly stated that 72 percent of Philadelphia death sentences have been overturned, and his Conviction Integrity Unit has helped secure dozens of exonerations. Those numbers are a reminder that wrongful convictions are not isolated events. They happened, and they continue to be uncovered.
More than 44 years later, Trent is still waiting.
I’ve known Trent since 2017. When we first met, he had already spent 35 years in prison. The next year it became 36. Then 37. Then 38. Every year, I find myself updating his campaign materials to reflect another year taken from his life. Today, that number has passed 44 years.
I would like this to be the last time I have to change it.
After everything Trent has endured, he has never lost his humanity. He is thoughtful, principled, and remarkably kind, but no one’s fool. He is also a devout Muslim whose faith has sustained him through more than four decades of incarceration. We’ve spent years talking about music, Philly, history, family, and the ordinary moments most of us take for granted. Even from a prison cell, he has been a steady friend, offering encouragement during difficult times and showing a generosity of spirit that prison has never managed to extinguish.
Prison has taken more than four decades of Trent’s life, but it has not taken his character. It has not taken his dignity. And it should not be allowed to take the rest of his life.
Trent has lost far more than his freedom. During the 44 years he has been imprisoned, he lost his beloved father, who was his strongest advocate. He has also lost several of his siblings. His youngest sister was only a toddler when he was sent to prison. She never had the chance to know her brother outside the walls of a prison, and she passed away before he ever had the chance to come home. Today, only one of Trent’s siblings is still living and his mother has dementia.
A message from Trent
“For 44 years, I’ve been fighting to prove my innocence. My case has been sitting in limbo for years while deadlines pass, lawyers retire, and nothing moves forward. Sometimes it feels like my case has simply been parked and forgotten. More than anything, I need experienced attorneys who are willing to fight for me. Your support gives me hope that I can finally get the representation my case deserves.”
This fundraiser exists to give Trent a real opportunity to move his case forward. Although he has court-appointed representation, decades have passed with little meaningful progress. Cases like this require resources and experienced legal advocacy. Without those resources, they can remain stalled indefinitely.
Funds raised will be used for:
-Retaining experienced post-conviction counsel
-Necessary case-related expenses
-Trent’s personal expenses while he remains incarcerated
Transparency is important to me. I have managed fundraising campaigns for years and have transferred more than $175,000 to the individuals and families they were established to support. I will maintain that same standard here. Updates will be posted, and receipts will always be available upon request.
If you are unable to donate, you can still help. Please share Trent’s story, sign and share the petition calling for a full review of his case, and listen to the podcast about him.
You can also help by corresponding with Trent or volunteering your time toward his advocacy. Trent enjoys meeting and writing to people from around the world. A letter or a shared post may seem small, but these acts remind someone who has spent more than four decades behind prison walls that he has not been forgotten.
Every year that passes without action is another year stolen from Trent’s life.
Please help us give Ralph “Trent” Stokes the legal support he deserves and the opportunity to finally have his case fully and fairly heard.
Write to Trent
Trent enjoys corresponding with people from around the world. If you would like to write to him, you can reach him at:
Ralph Stokes, AY9034
SCI Somerset
Smart Communications/PADOC
PO Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL 33733
Please include his full name, inmate number, and institution on all correspondence.
If you would like to send Trent money for commissary or contact him by email, I will be happy to provide the current Pennsylvania Department of Corrections instructions.
Learn more about Trent’s case:
Ralph Trent Stokes case website
https://www.ralphtrentstokes.org/
Sign the petition to free Ralph Trent Stokes
https://www.change.org/p/philadelphia-district-attorney-s-office-free-ralph-trent-stokes
Unjust & Unsolved, Episode 18: Ralph Trent Stokes
https://www.unjustandunsolved.com/post/episode-18-ralph-trent-stokes
