S2:E3 Anna Vasquez: Southwest at Salem

In San Antonio, Texas, Anna Vasquez and her three friends were accused of a brutal crime. Because they had all come out as lesbians, they were wrongfully convicted for the assault of two young girls. The women are now known as the San Antonio Four, and Anna fought for her innocence for 22 years.

Anna Vasquez is the Director of Outreach and Education for the Innocence Project of Texas. Ms. Vasquez took on that role after serving a nearly 13-year prison sentence for a crime that never occurred. Ms. Vasquez and three of her friends, who became known as the San Antonio Four, were convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child in a case that dates back to 1994 when Ms. Vasquez was 19. Ms. Vasquez and her friends spent 24 years fighting for their innocence. In 2016, the court of criminal appeals deemed all four innocent. Ms. Vasquez is now dedicated to sharing her experience in the hopes of improving the justice system and preventing similar occurrences.

Ms. Vasquez currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Houston Forensic Science Center, the Innocence Network Executive Board, and the San Antonio Crime Coalition.