Now a closer look at our criminal justice system.

Veteran Dateline producer Dan Sleppian

first met John Adrian Velasquez or J.J.

In 2002, when he was already serving time

for a 1998 murder he did not commit.

From his cell in Sing Sing,

J.J. aided Slepian in his own investigation

until he was granted clemency and released in 2021 after more

than two decades in prison.

The Sing Sing Files, One Journalist, Six Innocent Men, and a 20-year fight for justice tells the deeply

personal story of their relationship, their fight to overturn wrongful convictions,

and to reform the legal system. I sat down with Slepian and Velazquez for a

meet the moment conversation. Thank you both so much for being here.

Welcome to meet the press and Slepian, J.J Velasquez, a real honor to talk to both of you.

Thank you for having us.

Dan, let me start with you. You're a dateline producer. You were initially

focused on telling crime stories and then you became

focused on telling the stories of those who were wrongfully convicted and

meeting JJ who was sitting here today was a turning point for you. What was that first meeting like?

With J-J? Well, meeting J-J was the turning point of my life. There is no question about that. But as a

Dateline producer I was covering crime just the way I thought justice worked.

And it was through the prism of police officers. It was through the prism of police officers it was through the prism of the

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