In this month’s volunteer spotlight, we are honored to feature Sydney Dobbs, a dedicated member of the Great North Innocence Project community. A Minnesota native and mother of three, Sydney discovered her passion for criminal justice reform through her involvement in the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) where she worked in adolescent corrections. Sydney learned…
Read MoreGreat North Innocence Project client exonerated after nearly 20 years in prison for wrongful conviction
The Great North Innocence Project (GNIP) announced today that their client Marvin Haynes will be released from the Minnesota Correction Facility – Stillwater after spending nearly 20 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. GNIP will hold a press conference with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO) and the Haynes family about…
Read MoreGNIP legal intern reflects on first-hand post-conviction litigation experience
Summer legal intern, Anna Mae Engel, accompanied GNIP’s managing attorney, Andrew Markquart, to Mississippi to support during the evidentiary hearing for GNIP’s client, Amy Wilkerson. Amy has been incarcerated for a crime that she did not commit for 18 years. Below, Anna Mae details what it was like as a law student to attend the…
Read MoreWelcoming GNIP’s newest Board members
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….
Read MoreVolunteer of the Month: Stuart Nelson
Stuart Nelson is a Principal at Fish & Richardson’s Minneapolis office. With support from his firm, Stuart and a team of pro bono attorneys from Fish are dedicating significant time and legal expertise to one of GNIP’s open cases and supporting Managing Attorney Andrew Markquart and Legal Fellow Anna McGinn. Stuart shared that, “Fish’s support…
Read MoreVolunteer Spotlight: Jack Reuler
Founder and former executive director of Mixed Blood Theatre, Jack Reuler is generously donating some of wisdom and time to the Great North Innocence Project. As an expert in the arts, performance, media, and non-profits, he has already supported GNIP’s staff on a number of projects. Currently, he is co-creating the new GN-IP Volunteer Speaker’s…
Read MoreThree legal interns join the Great North IP team for the summer
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…
Read MoreVolunteer Spotlight: Ashley Harris
Meet our volunteer graphic design volunteer, Ashley Harris! Ashley is a multitalented photographer and graphic designer who has supported the Great North IP at the Benefit for Innocence and on various design projects. Most recently, she has been working with staff to design brand new Great North IP merch – stay tuned for its upcoming…
Read MoreMothers Never Flag in their Fights for Justice
This Mother’s Day is especially meaningful at the Great North Innocence Project. Already in 2023, we freed our first client who is a mother and saw her reunited with her children, and also grieved the loss of a freed client’s mother who never forgot about him. Cassandra (Cassi) Black Elk was wrongfully convicted of felony…
Read MoreVolunteer Spotlight: Jacqueline Masse
When the Great North legal team urgently needed an interrogation video transcribed in preparation for a critical hearing, Jacqueline Masse stepped in without hesitation. A paralegal at Taft Law, she spent hours transcribing Great North freed client Cassandra Black Elk’s police interrogation. A challenging task not just because of the time commitment, but because of…
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