
JJ Velazquez & Dan Slepian
Award-Winning Investigative Journalist at NBC News & Criminal Legal Reform Activist
JJ Velazquez & Dan Slepian
Award-Winning Investigative Journalist at NBC News & Criminal Legal Reform Activist
Biography
Dan Slepian and Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez share a remarkable, life-altering bond forged through the power of investigative journalism and the fight for justice. Dan, an award-winning NBC producer, spent over two decades investigating JJ’s wrongful conviction—ultimately playing a key role in his release after 23 years of incarceration. Their story is one of persistence, hope, and the human capacity for transformation. Available to speak together or individually, Dan and JJ bring a powerful and deeply personal program to any stage—one that explores injustice, redemption, and the unbreakable spirit of two men who refused to give up. Their message resonates with audiences across education, criminal justice, faith, and advocacy communities.
About Dan Slepian
Dan Slepian is an Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist at NBC News, a leading authority on the criminal justice system, and a seasoned public speaker. For nearly three decades at NBC’s Dateline, he has spearheaded dozens of documentaries and hidden-camera investigations, earning a reputation for exposing wrongful convictions and the human cost of mass incarceration. His 2025 MSNBC Films documentary The Sing Sing Chronicles—chronicling his two-decade friendship with Jon Adrian “JJ” Velazquez inside Sing Sing Correctional Facility—captured the Emmy Award for Best Documentary. Dan’s podcast, Letters from Sing Sing, was a 2024 Pulitzer Prize finalist and debuted at #1 on Apple’s Top Shows chart.
Dan’s deep knowledge of the criminal legal system threads through all of his work, from a TEDx Talk staged inside Sing Sing to conceiving and producing groundbreaking televised events, including the first-ever town hall broadcast from within a maximum-security prison. Known for his relentless pursuit of truth and his empathetic storytelling, he is a respected voice in both journalism and the fight against injustice.
Along with his recent Emmy win, Dan has received more than a dozen Emmy nominations, four Edward R. Murrow Awards, a Sigma Delta Chi Award, and commendations from justice-reform organizations across the country.
His recent book, The Sing Sing Files: One Journalist, Six Innocent Men, and a Twenty-Year Fight for Justice, recounts his decades-long mission to uncover the truth behind six wrongful convictions. A powerful narrative of perseverance, loyalty, and the pursuit of justice, it was named one of Amazon’s Best Books of the Year and nominated for a 2024 Goodreads Choice Award for Nonfiction. The audiobook version is a 2025 Audie Award finalist and one of Audible’s Best of the Year.
Dan brings decades of investigative experience and heartfelt storytelling to every keynote, often joined onstage by exonerees like JJ Velazquez, whom he visited more than 250 times over 20 years at Sing Sing.
In an era when organizations are re-examining their commitments to justice reform, empathy, resilience, social impact, and authentic storytelling, Dan delivers transformative programs that foster understanding, build bridges, and chart practical pathways to meaningful change.
About Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez
Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez’s career as a criminal legal reform activist began in 1998 when he was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer. He spent almost 24 years in New York State’s maximum security prisons assisting, educating and mentoring incarcerated people and their families.
While incarcerated, he earned two degrees in behavioral science and became a certified paralegal. He was considered a “one-man innocent project,“ helping other wrongfully convicted individuals obtain freedom. JJ was an elected liaison between the prison population and administration while working to help others obtain their college degrees in his capacity as a program assistant at Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison. As a leading light at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, he organized a delegation of leaders and implemented several positive programs, including CHOICES, which has served hundreds of children impacted by crime and incarceration.
JJ specializes in storytelling, which stems from his passion to turn trauma into triumph and inspires others to convert obstacles into opportunities. He moderates panels, facilitates workshops and gives talks designed to educate, motivate and incite meaningful change. JJ’s messages are heartfelt and filled with empathy.
He provides media platforms with valuable context and rare insight. These insights are fueled by personal experiences that helped him accumulate a deep and diverse knowledge base of criminogenic behavior, mass incarceration and wrongful convictions. Decades of unjust imprisonment have led to valuable lessons about life, humanity and survival.
JJ now serves his community locally as the Co-founder and Executive Director of Voices from Within based in New York, and nationally as the Program Director at the Frederick Douglass Project for Justice.
Speaker Videos
Dan Slepian and JJ Velazquez describe 20-year effort to free Velazquez from wrongful conviction
Dan Slepian and JJ Velazquez Hot Takes' on Career, Civil Rights, and Turning Pain into Power
Incarcerated man’s decades-long journey to freedom chronicled in NBC News podcast
Joe Biden and JJ Velazquez Discuss Criminal Legal Reform
The C.H.O.I.C.E.S Connection | Jon-Adrian Velazquez | TEDxSingSing
Voices from within | Dan Slepian | TEDxSingSing
Speech Topics
The Sing Sing Files: Exposing the Injustice of Wrongful Convictions
Take a deep dive into the harrowing stories of six innocent men who were wrongfully convicted and spent decades behind bars with Dan Slepian, a veteran Dateline producer, and JJ Velazquez, a criminal legal reform activist who was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer. In this powerful and profound talk, Dan and JJ explore the systemic failures of the criminal legal system, the relentless pursuit of truth and the difficulty in achieving justice. The personal anecdotes of these men add a profound human element to the discussion. This session or workshop is supported by compelling multimedia content, including video, which makes the experience even more engaging and impactful. In a landscape where these issues are more relevant than ever, Dan and JJ's perspectives offers a timely and transformative experience.
WHY THIS PROGRAM IS ESSENTIAL:
- Promotes understanding and continued learning: Perfect for organizations seeking to bolster their inclusionary efforts in meaningful ways.
- Educational and Inspiring: Provides valuable learning opportunities that encourage critical thinking and empathy.
- Adaptable and Relevant: Suitable for a wide range of audiences, from corporate settings to academic environments and beyond.
Building Bridges in Unlikely Places: A Friendship Forged Through Adversity
Get ready to be inspired and reminded that hope and compassion still thrive in this powerful talk by Dan Slepian, veteran producer of Dateline, and JJ Velazquez, a criminal legal reform activist who was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer. In this keynote, Dan and JJ discuss their extraordinary friendship and how it challenged Dan’s perceptions and ignited a lifelong mission to fight for justice. The pair’s bond evolved over two decades, leading Dan to several other innocent men he told stories about. It’s a narrative about building trust, understanding and a lasting friendship in the most unlikely of places—inside the walls of prison.
Investigative Journalism: The Power of Persistence & Truth
Get a behind-the-scenes look at how investigative journalism can bring justice to light with Dan Slepian, a longtime Dateline producer, and JJ Velazquez, a criminal legal reform activist who was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer. Using real-life examples from Dan’s 20-year journey, they share the challenges, triumphs and ethical dilemmas faced while uncovering wrongful convictions.
Through the Prism of Wrongful Convictions: Perversity & Pathology of Mass Incarceration
What if the system designed to protect us is failing? By examining the epidemic of wrongful convictions, Dan Slepian, a veteran Dateline producer, and JJ Velazquez, a criminal legal reform activist who was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer, delve into the broader issues of mass incarceration. This talk reveals the systemic perversities and deep-rooted pathologies that have led to the United States’ current crisis of incarceration.
The Human Cost of Injustice: A Journalist’s Journey Through the American Prison System
In this compelling presentation, Dan Slepian, longtime Dateline producer, and JJ Velazquez, a criminal legal reform activist who was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer, highlight the profound human impact of wrongful convictions on the incarcerated, their families and society—revealing the untold stories of those trapped in a system that often fails them. Dan and JJ uncover not just the stark realities of incarceration but also the emotional and psychological toll and share the stories of resilience and hope that emerge.
Justice for All: How We Can Reform the Criminal Justice System
Focused on actionable insights and reforms, this talk by Dan Slepian, a veteran Dateline producer, and JJ Velazquez, a criminal legal reform activist who was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer, address the critical need for changes within the criminal justice system. Drawing from decades of experience and specific anecdotes, Dan and JJ provide a roadmap for how society can better ensure justice for all. You’ll leave empowered to help shape a future where justice truly serves everyone, regardless of background or circumstance.
Testimonials
Books & Media
Books
The Sing Sing Files: One Journalist, Six Innocent Men, and a Twenty-Year Fight for Justice