Date & Time Set for Timothy Cole’s Honorary Degree Ceremony
Texas Tech University in Lubbock will confer an honorary degree on Timothy Cole Friday, May 15.
Cole will receive the honorary degree Friday, May 15, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. in Forum 101 at the Texas Tech University School of Law.
In attendance for the event will be Cole's brother Cory Session and his sister Karen Kennard. The pair will accept the honorary degree on behalf of their brother.
Timothy Cole was cleared of raping a fellow Texas Tech student in 2009 - 10 years after he passed away in prison - by DNA evidence. He was formally exonerated for the crime in 2010 by then-Governor Rick Perry.
Perry was in Lubbock last September to speak at the unveiling ceremony for a memorial statue of Timothy Cole.
In addition to the awarding of the honorary degree, Texas Tech President M. Duane Nellis and Chancellor Robert Duncan will both deliver remarks at the ceremony. A special video tribute remembering Cole will also be played.
The Innocence Project of Texas founder Jeff Blackburn will be in attendance. The group was instrumental in clearing Cole's name.