Episode 92: Gio Romero
- November 10, 2025
Rebuilding Hope After a Wrongful Conviction with Gio Romero
Gio Hernandez Romero is a UCLA student and criminal justice reform advocate who was wrongfully convicted at the age of 14 and spent 17 years in prison before being exonerated in 2023 through the Loyola Law School Juvenile Innocence and Fair Sentencing Clinic. Once sentenced to 50 years to life for a crime he did not commit, Gio’s journey from a juvenile defendant to a university scholar and aspiring lawyer is a testament to resilience, education, and the power of advocacy. During his incarceration, he participated in The Last Mile’s coding program, an experience that helped him rebuild a sense of purpose and envision a future beyond prison walls.
“I always believed things would be made right because this is America. I thought, ‘They can’t let a 14-year-old kid die in prison for something he didn’t do.’ But as the years went by and I lost my appeals, I started to lose hope. What kept me going was my family — my sister especially — who never stopped believing I’d come home. I lived for them when I couldn’t live for myself.”
Since his release, Gio has become an outspoken advocate for youth justice reform and the rights of the wrongfully convicted, speaking internationally about rehabilitation, reentry, and systemic change. In this conversation with host Tara Trask, Gio reflects on the failures of the justice system that led to his wrongful conviction, the emotional toll of adolescence spent behind bars, and the institutions and people—especially his family and Loyola Law’s legal team—who refused to give up on him. He discusses how programs like The Last Mile restore dignity and hope to incarcerated individuals, providing the tools to reenter society with confidence and purpose.
Episode Outline
(00:00:00) Tara Trask introduces Gio Hernandez Romero and his wrongful conviction case.
(00:03:17) Growing up in Los Angeles and his family background.
(00:08:39) How police label young people as gang members.
(00:14:19) Being tried as an adult and facing a 50-years-to-life sentence.
(00:16:47) Spending six years in jail before conviction and sentencing.
(00:18:00) Adjusting to life in prison and the loss of hope.
(00:19:00) How his sister and family kept him motivated to keep learning.
(00:23:12) Loyola Law School’s Juvenile Innocence and Fair Sentencing Clinic takes his case.
(00:25:00) The Conviction Integrity Unit’s role in reopening and exonerating his case.
(00:29:14) Broader discussion on wrongful convictions and needed criminal justice reform.
(00:33:00) Joining The Last Mile and learning to code while incarcerated.
(00:35:30) How coding and education restored his purpose and self-worth.(00:37:49) Returning to freedom and facing culture shock after 17 years.
(00:40:12) Learning to live as an adult for the first time and gaining independence.
(00:49:10) Sharing a message of hope and perseverance with others inside.
(00:55:06) The cell phone evidence that proved his innocence.
(00:57:00) Closing thoughts on gratitude, healing, and the power of reform.
With a 75% post-incarceration employment rate and less than 5% recidivism rate, The Last Mile has created a new precedent for job opportunities and sustainable wages for justice-impacted individuals. By giving returned citizens proper training while incarcerated, job search support, and following up with support services, The Last Mile is moving the needle on Fair Chance employment.
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