Here’s what makes Greg Kelley different…
Before he was falsely accused of indecency with a child, Greg was a happy, hard working 17 year-old at Leander High School. He was getting all A’s and B’s while working a part-time job at a movie theater to help support his family. He was also playing outstanding football and was elected captain of his football team as a junior!. Greg was also selected Special Teams Player of the Year and voted by classmates to the Homecoming Court.
By the end of his 2013 school year, Greg received Academic All District honors and First Team all district Awards at Leander HS. He accepted a much needed full-ride scholarship to the University of Texas in San Antonio. He also received scholarship offers from Texas State and Rice Universities. Greg was on top of his game! …until his amazing life came to an abrupt end.
One week later, Greg Kelley was expelled from Leander High School, he lost his scholarship, all his hard work on the football field was ended. He would not enjoy his senior year of high school with his sweetheart since middle school, the one with whom he promised, “No sex until marriage”. Instead, he would be forced to spend his time awaiting trial, because one detective had a “gut feeling” that Greg had molested a 4 year-old boy.
This is how Greg Kelley responded to this injustice…
- While attending an alternative military type school, Greg graduated at the top of his class with straight A’s and gave the commencement address.
- While awaiting trial in the WilCo jail, Greg read the Bible three times from cover to cover. He got to know his fellow prisoners in Bible Study. He asked the GRK Foundation to buy turkeys for each family for Thanksgiving.
- During his 2nd year in the Huntsville Penitentuary, he completed 2 college classes and began a 3rd, actively participated in the Winn Unit’s Bible Study, made many friends, gave his time to encourage other inmates, and helped men in weight training, as he learned to make license plates.
After serving 3 years in prison, Greg Kelley was found to be“actually innocent” by district court Judge Donna King. However, action is needed by you or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to clear his name.
Today, Greg wants to accept a full-ride football scholarship to the University of Texas, but can’t until exonerated. Greg can’t afford the tuition, Greg’s mother lost all her money paying legal expenses. His father passed away a few months ago. He doesn’t have the education for a good paying job. He cannot get credit. He cannot live in a nice neighborhood. He won’t be able to work with his fiancé who will be starting her career working with children. He won’t be able to vote. He can’t earn a living and pay minimum expenses to rebuild his life.
In the same way that Joseph, in Genesis 37-50, was wrongly accused and imprisoned,I believe that Greg Kelley can turn what others meant for evil into something very good.
Recall Michael Morton was wrongfully convicted and it took over 25 years to clear his name. I do not want to see this happen to Greg.
Greg has demonstrated that he will not be defined by the challenges he has faced. Instead, he is being defined by how he is responding to life’s challenges. At age 24, Greg Kelley still has a wonderful future ahead of him. My prayer is that you you will allow him to live the great life God has planned for him.
The following is a letter written by Pastor James Douglas. It was written shortly after Greg was convicted and began serving his 25 year sentence with the general population in the maximum security State Penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas. I believe his letter most accurately describes what I have seen in Greg Kelley as we have been in a small group Bible study in Leander for the past 2 years. Additional testimonials that illustrate Greg’s character are also given in the following pages.
“As a licensed and ordained minister, I have had numerous visits with Greg as a member of the clergy. Altogether, my visits have probably totaled 30-40 hours of conversation. It is important to note that I did not know Greg Kelley prior to my visits with him while incarcerated.
In all of my years of ministry, I have never encountered a young man like Greg Kelley. He has gained the respect of both captive and free, prison leadership and guards, and everyone who has encountered him. From the most violent offenders serving life sentences, to the guards who watch over him, all agree that he is unlike everyone else in his unique environment… different… “not one of them.”
When I entered the jail, my perspective was that I didn’t know if he was innocent or guilty, but I was convinced that he hadn’t had a fair and thorough investigation and trial. I wanted to test him and see for myself if I thought he was innocent or guilty. When I left the jail, I sat in my car and cried for a good half hour.
Then I called Greg’s mother and told her where I was. She asked me what I thought of her son. My reply, “Ms Kelley, I have met three US Presidents, professional athletes, celebrities, the leaders of some of the biggest companies in the world.
In my opinion, Greg is by far, one of the most impressive people that I have ever met.”
–Pastor James Douglas
Testimonies of Greg’s character and behavior
On 8/1/14 after his conviction, in a KVUE-TV interview with Tom Miller…
TM: Why did you agree to the 25-year prison sentence?
GK: I was given 2 options (1) waive my right to appeal and serve 25 years, or (2) let the jury decide and still have the right to appeal. I was afraid that if I let the jury decide, they would have given me life. They thought I was a monster and didn’t give a fair trial at all.
TM: Was there any partial truth to any of the accusations against you?
GK: No. There was no truth at all.
TM: From what I’ve seen, you and your family are people of faith. Why do you think this happened to you?
GK: I believe it’s in God’s hands… As a man it can only make me better, so you know, I believe it’s with a plan… bad things happen to good people all the time.
TM: What are you hoping happens moving forward? Are you looking for a miracle?
GK: Of course, yes [laughs] I pray every night that something will come out and show my innocence… So, yes, I am hoping for a miracle.
In a Fox-Austin news story, Greg was quoted as saying…
“My family and faith have played a big part in who I am. They taught me great character and morals and goals to become a great young man. And to be successful in whatever I want to do. Not what other people want to do but what I want to do. I’ve always been a follower of God and Jesus Christ,” Before the trial started, Kelley could have taken a plea deal that would have eliminated the trial, giving him probation and a label of “sex offender”. Kelley said “No”
I’ll get out when I’m 44 and I can still have opportunity in life. I can still do good things for the Lord” I can serve the Lord behind bars knowing that I didn’t compromise my integrity.” “I’m not going to lie and play their game.” “When I think of the Almighty, He’s all about truth.”
From a letter dated 10/17/14, while waiting in Wilco jail in Georgetown, Greg wrote.
“With my studies in understanding the Word better, I am trying to help others with any problems they might be having. I learned in here that having someone to talk to goes a long way. So I try to encourage people to be in the Good News because it is our salvation and the way we are supposed to be living.”
Through the waiting for a new trial, Christ brought so many hands together for prayer. So many beautiful believers together for a great cause. God has blessed me with kind souls who believe in my innocence and promise to stand by me. I loved getting to see the rallies outside the jail from my rec room. I wish I could have yelled from the windows “I love ya’ll!” but I knew I would have gotten in trouble. My heart is full of joy. I barely have bad days, and the days that are bad, I pull out my letters and read the “I love you” and the “I miss you” statements from everyone. It really turns a frown upside down!
Keith Hampton sent a professional psychologist to write up a profile on Greg.
Her report was highly complementary of Greg, suggesting he is an extraordinary person with extremely high moral standards.
Why would 3 prominent universities offer Greg a full ride scholarship as a high school junior, if they didn’t believe he was a high-quality individual? The head coach at UTSA wrote Greg a letter during his first year in prison saying that he believes Greg is innocent, and, that he is holding a spot open for him when he gets out!
An enormous amount of time and money was spent to research the 192 days when Greg could have been in the presence of HM. Keith Hampton was quoted as saying, “Every one of those days when Greg could have been in the presence of the little boy have been accounted for, …and it does not involve molesting a child.”
Mike Adams, owner of Prime Focus Forensics Digital Forensics Lab, has said “this kid is squeaky clean. There is no way he could have done what they say he did!”
They analyzed 56,324 text messages, 8,978 images, 459 videos, 145 Facebook messages, and 548 Facebook contacts. Investigators mapped out GPS coordinates, interviewed school officials, coaches, and teachers. They obtained many eye witness testimonies. He says, all these things have come together by the Grace of God. Everyone of those days when Greg could have been in the presence of the little boy have been accounted for.