Darryl's Story
In 1984, a drug dealer was shot to death at a gas station in St. Louis, Missouri. Witnesses described the man who shot him as a light-skinned African American male, 5’5” in height. Police looked for suspects, and even though Darryl Burton was dark-skinned and 5’10” in height, he was summoned to a police lineup. Two men came forward identifying Darryl as the murderer. Both were awaiting trial but were promised lighter sentences if they testified that Burton was guilty. Darryl Burton was assigned a public defender who spent only one hour with him before his capital murder trial, and the jury convicted him in less than an hour. Darryl was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He was assigned to the Missouri State Penitentiary, one of the most violent prisons in the U.S.
Darryl remembers, “When I heard the jurors say’guilty,’ , I felt shock and disbelief. I just didn’t think an innocent man could be sent to prison in America, especially for capital murder” . He clearly remembers a huge banner that hung at the entrance of the penitentiary that said “Welcome to the Missouri State Pen. Leave all your hopes, family, and dreams behind.” “When I saw that banner, it deeply affected me, and I lost all hope. I hated the place, the system, and anyone that had anything to do with it. It was hell on earth – filled with violence, evil, and hate.”
Darryl remained in prison from 1984-2009 and spent many of those days in the prison law library dedicated to proving his innocence. He wrote over 600 letters to members of the government, nonprofit organizations, even Oprah Winfrey to plead his case. However, it was not until he allowed Christ into his life that he began to experience a change. Darryl discovered that anger and hate can become another prison and that Jesus said we must love our enemies, pray for them, and forgive them. “Until I read that truth in Luke 23:34, I didn’t think that was possible,“ he said. Ten years prior to Darryl’s exoneration, he felt emotionally and spiritually freed. “God had to work something out of me (bitterness and hatred), to work something into me (love and grace), to do His work through me.”
After learning of a confession from a witness who admitted in 1985, “You have the wrong man, he’s too dark,” Darryl worked with Centurion Ministries to have his wrongful conviction overturned. Darryl often recalls a letter that he wrote to Jesus while imprisoned. It said “Jesus, if you’re real and help me get out of this place, not only will I serve you, but I’ll tell the world about you.”
Darryl now shares his nightmare story of adversity to help others and bring glory to the name of Jesus Christ. Since 2008, he has spoken about forgiveness, redemption, and hope at churches, conferences and lectures around the globe. Seven years after his exoneration, he never takes one day for granted.
In May, 2016, Darryl Burton graduated from Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas, where his internship landed him a position at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, the largest United Methodist Church in the US. He continues to serve as a pastor there today. “I’m doing things today that can only be because of the grace and mercy of God,” Burton says. “I have come to embrace my walk of faith. I pray to be a humble servant in my ministry.”****
The Miracle Man Mission
Since July 2017, Miracle of Innocence has helped free four innocent men and women. Miracle of Innocence supports retrials for incarcerated individuals and continuously provides care for the exonerated when they return back into society. State departments of corrections and reentry programs do not have adequate assistance when they are freed. With your help, Miracle of Innocence is able to help provide these individuals with the following care services: habitation, identification, communication, transportation, occupation, mental health counseling, adult mentorship, food, and clothing.
More About Darryl
Education
Darryl has pursued his graduate studies and earned a Master’s of Divinity Degree; Religious Study/Doctrine of Theology at Saint Paul School of Theology, Leawood, KS. His undergraduate studies in English Composition I & II were conducted at Lincoln University, Jefferson City, MO. He has taken courses in Computers and the Law/Certificate obtained at Platte/Northwestern Community College in St. Joseph, MO; Paralegal/Certificate also obtained.
Employment
Darryl has worked with Charter High School students at Don Bosco, Kansas City, MO; worked as a Mentor Coordinator for a non-profit organization at Catholic Charities TurnAround Program in Kansas City, MO through a grant funded by the Second Chance Act for the Department of Justice (DOJ). Darryl has given numerous presentations locally about the Mentor Re-Entry Program; attended Second Chance Act, Mentor/Re-Entry Conference by Council of State Government (CSG) Washington, DC, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA); Darryl previously worked with the Department of Corrections Staff preparing Ex- Offenders for Re-Entry back into society. He works as Congregational Care Pastor of a 25,000-member church at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, Leawood, KS.
Advocacy
Darryl continues to volunteer and give public presentations about wrongful convictions, the death penalty, and other social justice causes for non-profit organizations, Centurion Inc., Youth Groups, Death Penalty Abolition, Church of Resurrection ministry events, Poverty Issues, 12-Steps Recovery Communities, and Healing House Recovery Community, Peer Pressure/Cyber Bullying/Conflict Resolution Awareness, Sensitivity Awareness/Gang Reconciliation, Criminal Justice Awareness.
