Be Bold: Eric Volz Podcasts from Prison

August 6, 2007

Earlier this year, Eric Volz, an American expatriot living in Nicaragua, was convicted of a rape and murder he did not commit. He has been held in a maximum security prison near the capital of Managua, where the conditions are horrible to say the least.

Needless to say I was surprised when I found out he was able to record an audio podcast from prison. He did this using the prison payphone. You can listen to the podcast here.

The internet has been a force in spreading the word about Eric’s cause. While major media outlets were obsessed with the death of Anna Nicole Smith, a judge in a coastal Nicaraguan town caved to the pressure of an angry mob, despite evidence proving his innocence.

At the time, the site Friends of Eric Volz was up and running, and the case was spreading across the States slowly but surely. I found out about it from Leigh Nash’s MySpace blog. I instantly became passionate about it, even having a Google Alert sent to me, which has helped me keep up with the case.

Soon a dedicated MySpace page was formed. More and more bloggers informed their readers and videos outlining the evidence supporting Volz popped up on YouTube. His angry opponents posted their videos as well.

Finally, NBC featured Eric on the Today show. In an ironic twist, one of the mothers of the falsely accused Duke Rape lacrosse players heard of Eric Volz and used her connections with the media to help gain recognition. CNN and other media outlets followed.

While the case has never really received the attention it deserves in traditional media, the internet has provided opportunity where none previously existed. As a result, congressmen and the Nicaraguan embassy have been petitioned to act for justice.

As of July 31st, a Nicaraguan paper announced that the decision on the appeal will be given in two weeks. I hope this will end the nightmare for Eric Volz, but Volz himself encourages the community that has gathered for his case will unite in support of others who are falsely accused as well.

Technorati Tags: eric volz, podcasting, nicaragua, online custom publishing