Darryl's Speaking
I promised God that, if I ever made it out of prison, I would share my story around the world.
Spending 24 years in prison for a crime I didn’t commit offered me a perspective about the human spirt, justice and the idea of who God is at a level that, thankfully, most people will never have.
You may know a little about my story — being found guilty of murder and given a life sentence, although I was innocent. Being sent to a maximum security prison that was known as one of the worst in the country was a true nightmare, a nightmare in which there was no end in sight.
I didn’t know it then, but through these tragic circumstances I would be given an opportunity 24 years later to make good on my promise to God. It’s the honor of my life to speak to domestic and international groups about how what was meant for total destruction of my life became the calling of my life.
For decades, I didn’t know how I would survive one more day in that place, but here I am now, and they call me the Miracle Man.
We all go through difficult life circumstances and moments of despair and pain so deep that it can keep you locked in thejail of your head and heart. Yet we determine whether these situations are going to break us or make us stronger. After years of going through every emotion you can think of, I found myself surrendering to God and learned how forgiveness can restore your soul and give you hope for a future. It’s believable hope!
I thank God every day that it was His will that my tragic circumstances would become an opportunity for me to advocate for others around the world who share my story and shine a light on a criminal justice system that is in desperate need of reform. Our communities can be part of the solution to help thousands of innocent people find their way to freedom and be there when they are released to support with life skills, housing, jobs and legal assistance while they re-engage in society outside the prison walls.
My message to groups of all kinds — kids and adults alike — is a message of hope, forgiveness and restoration.
I am often invited to speak at various conferences and eventsto the business community, civic groups, churches, youth groups and seniors groups along with schools anduniversities and special events. If you are interested in hearing my message of hope, please complete and submit the contact form below.
Contact Darryl
Darryl's Speaking Experience
I spent 24 long, lonely years in prison as an innocent man. That gave me the opportunity to intentionally examine my life – its purpose and my responsibility to my brothers and sisters who remain behind bars, especially those who have been falsely convicted. While still in prison I made a covenant with God to do whatever I could to tell the world about Him and to free and care for the innocent captives. I believe this means I should use my story of hope and redemption to illustrate the great injustice we have allowed to occur in our nation and do all within our power to correct our failings. We are better than this, and if we work together we can right the wrongs committed against so many innocent people. If you allow me, I will tell you my story and how I rose above my imprisonment to begin a ministry that can bring hope to so many others who currently suffer in our jails and prisons.
Media
Darryl has shared his story about being wrongfully convicted of Capital Murder and Armed Criminal Action with several media outlets that include but not limited to: CNN, Local NBC News St. Louis affiliate station, Fox News 4 St. Louis and Kansas City, MO, KTVI Channel 2 Fox News St. Louis, MO, KSDK Channel 5, St. Louis, St. Louis Channel 10, The Associated Press, St. Louis Post Dispatch, St. Louis River-Front Times, Kansas City Star, St. Louis American, Word and Way Christian Newspaper, St. Louis Magazine, The Star- Ledger, U.S. 1 Princeton’s Business Entertainment Weekly, Ebony Magazine, People Magazine, St. Louis KMJM Magic 104.9 FM, Kansas City Radio KPRT-Christian Station and KWMU-St. Louis on the Air 90.7 FM Radio Station, KKFI-KC 90.1 FM Kansas City, MO, Radio Free Liberty KCXL 1140 AM Kansas City, MO, WTLC Radio AM Indianapolis, IN; Interview with Larry The Cable Guy for History Channel Program “Only In America.” Seoul, South Korea Christian News Reporter.
National / International
Darryl has spoken to many groups about the global problem regarding wrongful convictions: Spoke at Centurion Ministries Fundraiser (Princeton, NJ); Missouri Bar Association (St. Louis, MO); National Association of Legal Secretaries (Tulsa, OK); Journey of Hope (Indianapolis, IN); Texas Innocence Project Conference (Houston, TX); Portland Innocence Project Conference (Portland, Oregon); Diversity Day, Phoenix School of Law (Phoenix, Arizona); International Innocence Conference Cincinnati, Ohio, National Freedom Center; Defense of the Damned, Trial Lawyers College (Jackson Hole, Wyoming twice a year); Chicago, Illinois Trial Lawyers College; Berkley University (Berkley, CA); Lawyers Training Conference (Sioux Falls, South Dakota); Ritz Carlton GTLA Lawyers (Atlanta, GA); Colorado Trial Lawyers Association (Denver, CO); Mothers of Prayer, (Nassau Bahamas), Temple Baptist Church, (Nassau Bahamas), International Conference on Wrongful Convictions for National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) (Toronto, Canada); International Lawyers Conference, (Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada); London, England (in front of Oxford Castle Prison and several locations); Haiti (scheduled for May 2018). Invitations to speak in African, Australia, Switzerland, Japan, China, Saipan, Vietnam, Russia, Germany, Italy, South Korea, South America, Ireland, and other countries requesting that I come and speak to their people.
Universities / Colleges
Darryl has engaged and captivated large audiences of more than 700 people with his inspiring “Story” at the following colleges and universities: Denver University; University Missouri Kansas City (UMKC); Columbia University School of Journalism; Lincoln University, (Jefferson City, MO); Avila University (Kansas City, KS); Kansas University KU (Lawrence KS); Washburn University Topeka, Kansas; Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau, MO); Washington University (St. Louis, MO); Webster University (St. Louis, MO); Rockhurst University (Kansas City, MO); William Woods University (Columbia, MO); Sanford Brown University (St. Louis, MO); Penn Valley Community College (Kansas City, MO); Arizona State University (Phoenix, Arizona); Ottawa University (Ottawa, Kansas); ITT Technical Institute (Kansas City, MO); South Texas College of Law (Houston, Texas); Lindenwood College (St. Charles, MO); William Jewell College (Liberty, MO); Saint Paul School of Theology; Johnson County Community College (Overland Park, KS).
Schools / Youth Groups / Senior Centers
Darryl has spoken at senior centers, many schools, and to youth groups throughout the nation that include: Mark Twain Youth Center, George Washington Carver Elementary School, Notre Dame De Sion, Roosevelt High School, Cochran Youth Center, St. Patrick’s High School, BreBeuf Jesuit High School, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Crittendon Residential Care Center for Youth, McClure South High School, Alton Youth Police Academy, McCune Juvenile Center, Blue Valley High School, Brophy High School, North Community Senior Center, Atrium Senior Center, Seniors meeting at North Kansas City Community Center, Youth Group Meeting at Howard Johnson, Catholic High School Omaha, Nebraska, Calvary Lutheran High School; CAPS High School (Overland Park, KS); RezLife, Propel Program for Youth, UMC Church of the Resurrection; Tallgrass Creek Community (Senior Living).
Business Community
Darryl has spoken at several business groups around the local community and nation: Rotary Business Group, Sertoma Rotary Club, Rotary Club of St. Louis, Rotary Club of Johnson County, Double Tree Hotel Women’s Group, Campus Bar & Grill, Liberty Chamber of Commerce
Political / Civic Groups
Darryl was presented by the St. Louis Board of Alderman President Lewis Reed a Special Certificate of Recognition titled: Resolution #290, Whereas; the City of St. Louis apologized for the wrongful conviction of Darryl Burton and allowed him the opportunity/platform to express himself and accept the city’s public apology, which was aired in the St. Louis community on Channel 10. Darryl testified before the Senate in Jefferson City, Missouri SB 321 and HB 484 on “Death Penalty & Wrongful Convictions.” Darryl also received Resolution #690, presented by Missouri State Representative, Theodore Hoskins (Jefferson City, MO). Darryl spoke at the Ethical Society of Women Voices Raised for Social Justice (Brentwood, MO); Johnson County Young Matrons, Shawnee, KS; Social Justice Against the Death Penalty (Salina, KS). Darryl has given presentations at numerous civic groups, organizations and functions in the state of MO, around the nation and other countries.
Churches / Religious Organizations
Darryl has spoken at numerous churches throughout the nation about his wrongful conviction. Some of these are: St. Francis Xavier Parish Center; Heartland Community Church; Spring Life Christian Church; St. Andrews Christian Church; Solomon’s Temple Church; Greater True Vine Church of God; St. Benedictine Convent; Church of the Good Shepherd; United Methodist Church of the Resurrection; COMO Christian Conference (Columbia, MO); Second Baptist Church (Columbia, MO); Pentecostal, Catholic, Baptist churches, Atheist and Agnostic, and Biker Groups.
Institutions
Intensive Therapeutic Community (ITC) Jefferson City Correctional Center, Jefferson City MO; Western Missouri Correctional Center, (WMCC) Cameron, MO; Chillicothe Correctional Center, (CCC) Chillicothe, MO; Kansas State Prison (Lansing, KS); Leavenworth Federal Prison BOP (Leavenworth, KS); Oklahoma Prisons (Oklahoma City, Lexington, and Lawton, OK).
