Kevin Herrick & Leo Schofield serving life as innocent men

Kevin's hope, first and foremost, is in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and he has been compared to a modern-day Paul, spreading the love of Christ both inside and outside prison walls. 

A Journey of Injustice and Friendship: The Story of Kevin and Leo Schofield

"Kevin Is Next" tells the powerful story of Kevin and Leo Schofield, two men who have spent over three decades incarcerated for crimes they did not commit. Their journey, marked by both profound injustice and an unbreakable bond of friendship, has inspired this narrative.

Uniquely Yoked: A Shared Fight for Justice

• Kevin and Leo share a common bond as two innocent men who have been wrongly accused and convicted. They had been incarcerated for over 30 years together. Their unique connection is rooted in the shared burden of their injustice, and they are committed to advocating for each other until true justice is realized for both of them. 
• Beyond their legal battles, Kevin and Leo have found an outlet and shared passion in music. Over the years, they have led worship services with their band, "The Watchers". Both played lead guitar and sing vocals, and they have written many original songs. In 2018, they recorded an album together which is available for download on several music apps.
• Leo's legal case may be familiar from the show 20/20 and/or the Lava for Good podcast Bone Valley, hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Gilbert King.

A Decades-Long Battle for Exoneration The inspiration behind "Kevin is Next" comes directly from the highs and lows of their journey together. Over the years, they have repeatedly faced the heartbreaking cycle of hope and disappointment in their pursuit of justice, often symbolized by the "Leo is Next" or "Kevin is Next" T-shirts they hoped to wear upon release:

The "T-Shirt Yo-Yo": 

• 2001: Kevin was granted a Federal Evidently Hearing, certain he would receive a new trial and walk out wearing a "Leo is Next" T-shirt. Unfortunately, he was not granted a new trial.
• 2004: Leo petitioned for a new trial after fingerprint evidence was tested for the first time and matched a convicted murderer. This breakthrough led Leo to believe he would be released and wear a "Kevin is Next" T-shirt, but this was not the case.
• 2006: Kevin was certain he would wear the "Leo is Next" T-shirt, anticipating that The Innocence Project would gain permission to test three unidentified hairs using DNA testing. However, the motion for post-conviction DNA testing was inexplicably denied, leading The Innocence Project to conclude their representation of Kevin.
• 2016: Leo was granted a motion for a new trial when the convicted murderer whose fingerprints matched evidence in Michelle's car confessed to killing his wife. Yet, Leo was again denied justice and did not wear the "Kevin is Next" T-shirt.

A Step Towards Freedom: The Fight Continues

On April 17, 2024, Leo was granted parole, and he walked out of Everglades Correctional Institution on April 30th, 2024 finally wearing the "Kevin is Next" shirt. 

While parole is a significant step towards freedom, Leo is still seeking exoneration, which is the final step in proving their innocence. This story is not finished.