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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesDawn Jackson is asking audiences to listen to the women featured in Set Her Free, a documentary about trauma, incarceration and the punishment of survivors of abuse. “Please don’t talk through it, just listen because this is real,” she said. The film was scheduled for a Queen City Film Festival screening in Plainfield, New Jersey, on October 18, 2026.
Why Dawn Jackson wants people to hear these stories
Jackson is one of the formerly incarcerated women featured in Set Her Free. The documentary explores the experiences of women affected by trauma and abuse, including how survivors may be punished rather than protected. Jackson says sharing those experiences can help change lives and laws.
“We don’t know who we are saving today, but we are sharing our voices, we are sharing our stories,” she said. She described taking part in the film as “an honor,” adding: “It wasn’t a project, this is a movement.”
Jackson also offered a direct request to viewers: “Please don’t talk through it, just listen because this is real.”
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Jackson’s sentence, release and account of abuse
According to MyCentralJersey.com’s 2026 report, Jackson spent more than 25 years in prison after receiving a 30-year sentence connected to the 1999 killing of her step-grandfather. The report says he had sexually abused her for years. Jackson’s experience and perspective on the case inform her advocacy; the available reporting does not establish a complete court record or independently verify every aspect of her account.
Governor Phil Murphy commuted her sentence, and she was released from Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in December 2024, the report says. She began a five-year period of parole supervision. The reporting does not detail the precise legal effect of the commutation.
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Where and when to see Set Her Free
MyCentralJersey.com reported that the film was scheduled for 1:45 p.m. on October 18, 2026, at the Plainfield Public Library during the Queen City Film Festival. That is a schedule reported on October 5, 2026, not confirmation of the event’s current status. Check the festival or library directly for updates to the time, venue, tickets or lineup.
Queen City Film Festival founder and executive director Lamar Mackson described the festival’s growth: “It started out as a one-day, four-hour festival of films that I produced here in the city of Plainfield and now it has turned into an international destination for filmmakers all over the world,” he said.
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Jackson’s advocacy after prison
Since her release, Jackson has spoken publicly, studied social work at Rutgers and worked in advocacy and consulting, according to the MyCentralJersey report. Her work connects her personal experience with a wider effort to bring survivors’ accounts into public discussion.
The report describes the Survivors Justice Act at a high level as allowing certain people to seek resentencing when their offense is connected to domestic or sexual violence victimization. It does not establish the statute’s eligibility rules or current implementation, so it should not be read as legal advice or a determination of anyone’s eligibility.
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Jackson’s memoir is titled From Incarceration to Advocacy: A Life Reclaimed. The official Just Justice episode page names the book and directs readers to her organization for ordering.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Content note
The official Just Justice episode page flags discussion of childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence and incarceration. Viewers who may find those subjects difficult can use that notice when deciding whether and how to watch.
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