Today, the Great North Innocence Project (GNIP) announced that it will participate in Phase 3 of the independent review of Ramsey County cases involving the medical opinions of Dr. Michael McGee. Dr. McGee is the retired Chief Medical Examiner for Ramsey County and served in the role from 1985 to 2020.
As part of recently enacted criminal justice reform package, a new policy will provide safeguards against law enforcement lying to juveniles along with an amendment to a postconviction statute to prevent future injustices similar to the case of exoneree Marvin Haynes.
My name is Terry Olson and I am a proud 2016 GNIP exoneree. I first attended the Innocence Network Conference in 2018. Now, I invite you to join me in donating to the Great North Innocence Project’s campaign to send more freed and exonerated clients and their support people to this important event. I know…
The Great North Innocence Project is thrilled to welcome three new Board members to our already incredible team of leaders. With the addition of Dr. Susan Roe, Jazz Hampton, and Benjamin Vickers, our Board is gaining important perspectives in the areas of forensic pathology, organizational development, marketing, community engagement, diversity and inclusion, and law. Dr….
Ambika Patpatia, Anna Mae Engel, and Vinvent Dinolfo, are law students working with the Great North Innocence Project’s legal team this summer to investigate and litigate innocence cases. In this role, Ambika, Anna Mae, and Vincent are interviewing witnesses, investigating case details, supporting attorneys during hearings, and conducting research. Great North Innocence Project: Tell us…
On February 15, Great North Innocence Project Managing Attorney Jim Mayer joined friends and family of his very first innocence client to experience the height of any innocence attorney’s career: watching his client walk free from incarceration. The moment Michael Wearry exited Elayn Hunt Correctional Facility in Saint Gabriel, Louisiana, was a long time coming….
Jon Hopeman, longtime Great North Board member, has seen the Great North Innocence Project through numerous stages of organizational development; worked on innocence case litigation, including helping to free innocent Great North client Javon Davis from prison in 2020; and provided critical leadership during times of organizational transition. Current Great North Board Co-Chair Kevin Riach…
The Great North Innocence Project (GN-IP) announced today that it has received a two-year, $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice that will fuel the ongoing work of Minnesota’s first-ever Conviction Review Unit (CRU). This DOJ grant represents an increased investment from the previous $300,000 two-year grant GN-IP received to launch the CRU in…
St. Thomas University senior Kiley Golberg recently joined GNIP as our development and special events intern. During her tenure at GNIP, Kiley is supporting the planning and implementation of the 2022 Benefit for Innocence along with other critical advancement processes to support GNIP’s mission. Great North Innocence Project: Tell us about yourself. Where are you…
During fall 2022, Fionna Ek is joining the Great North Innocence Project as a student law clerk. Fionna will be our office’s intake specialist and screen applications for potential new cases of innocence. Great North Innocence Project: Tell us about yourself. Fionna Ek: My name is Fionna Ek, and I’m a lifelong Midwesterner from the…