Among the list of “scientific” techniques often put forward as reliable in solving a crime is fiber and hair analysis. According to scientists and experts, however, this process is not one that can conclusively point to a crime’s perpetrator, and its use has resulted in previous wrongful convictions. Fibers are small units of textile material…
Read MoreEnterprising undegrad student joins GNIP as development & special events intern
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…
Read MorePro Bono Champions of the Year Celebrate Successes and Talk Hopes for Their Client
At this year’s Benefit for Innocence, the Great North Innocence Project is debuting a new award, the Pro Bono Champion(s) of the Year Award, to recognize an individual pro bono volunteer or a pro bono team that have contributed significant time, expertise, resources, and passion towards investigating and litigating innocence cases in partnership with our…
Read MoreMeet GNIP’s New Law Clerk: Fionna Ek
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…
Read MoreGNIP visits Dakota Women’s Correctional and Rehabilitation Center
The Dakota Women’s Correctional Rehab Center (DWCRC) in New England, North Dakota, is an unassuming building that looks more like a school than a prison were it not for the barbed wire fencing surrounding the sprawling building. Situated in the rolling hills of a small agricultural town, the prison grounds include large gardens where the…
Read MoreNew attorney joins GNIP legal team
GNIP is thrilled that Anna McGinn is joining the organization’s legal team as a Bank of America Fellow. A recent graduate of the University of Notre Dame Law School, Anna will work with GNIP for two years and increase our capacity to investigate claims of innocence, litigate cases where an innocent person has been wrongfully…
Read MoreExoneree Michael Hansen Finds a Renewed Sense of Self in Tattooing
Kinship Collective Tattoo is a special place. Found downtown in quaint Northfield, Minnesota, the tattoo parlor is owned by Michael Hansen who leads a team of four additional tattoo artists. The space feels bright and energetic, with red and grey walls filled with framed paintings and oddities—many of which were gifts brought to Mike by…
Read MoreLaw clerk Alexa Stebbins talks her first investigative trip & legal ethics
Summer law clerks Alexa Stebbins and Madison Wadsworth got their first taste of conducting legal investigations with a road trip to South Dakota this month to interview witnesses in a current GN-IP case. Prepped by GN-IP attorney Andrew Markquart, Alexa and Madison travelled to Hartford (a suburb of Sioux Falls) and Pine Ridge Reservation where…
Read MoreGNIP Celebrates Juneteenth
Last week, GN-IP celebrated Juneteenth alongside community members during the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation-hosted Juneteenth Celebration at Bethune Park in North Minneapolis. Juneteenth, officially celebrated on June 19, commemorates the day when Union soldiers reached Galveston, Texas, and announced the end of the Civil War and that slaves were free. During the Minneapolis event, community…
Read MoreExonerated client Javon Davis reflects on fatherhood after freedom
Javon Davis was exonerated through work by the Great North Innocence Project in March 2020. A father of six children, Javon served five years in prison for a crime he did not commit. He is still awaiting compensation from the state for his wrongful incarceration. During this month of Father’s Day, Javon has reflected on…
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