The Great North Innocence Project team, including four of GNIP’s exonerated clients, just returned from the 2026 Innocence Network Conference in Chicago.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, GNIP raised more than $16,000, reaching 80% of our goal and helping several GNIP clients attend this year’s Innocence Network Conference in Chicago. For our clients, the conference is a powerful opportunity to connect, learn, heal, and grow in community with other freed and exonerated people who truly understand their experience of wrongful conviction. We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped make this meaningful experience possible.
GNIP staff, Board members, volunteers, clients, and their loved ones attended informative and powerful sessions at this year’s Conference. Topics included the latest advances in DNA evidence, law enforcement reflections on wrongful convictions training, guiding families through welcoming home an exonerated loved one, ethical storytelling, and more. Our clients were welcomed into the freed and exonerated community with a special dinner and welcome home ceremony.
“The session with the police talking about wrongful convictions trainings was one of my favorite parts of the Conference. I heard that they are finally realizing that there are a whole lot of people in that situation [wrongfully convicted], and that it needs to be looked at more. It’s not a problem that’s going to fade away on its own.” – Sherman Townsend
In addition to the Conference sessions, GNIP’s cohort got to enjoy a number of exciting outings. The Shedd Aquarium generously donated tickets to GNIP so that GNIP’s clients could visit the aquarium at no charge. This was especially exciting for Bryan Hooper because he grew up in Chicago, and got to revisit childhood memories of exploring the aquarium. Two of Bryan’s sister’s even joined for a surprise visit. The group also enjoyed visits to Millennium Park and sampled famous Chicago deep-dish pizza.
On their way home from the Conference, GNIP’s Robina Fellow Nate Bander brought Bobby and David to their first ever Brewer’s game! The team suprised Bobby and David with a shoutout on the jumbotron and a complimentary fan pack. Thank you to the Brewers and Mike and Jenny Briggs for this incredibly special surprise for Bobby and David, lifelong Brewers fans.
Overall, the trip to the Conference was a meaningful, transformative, and joy-filled trip for everyone, but especially for GNIP’s exonerated clients. Thank you to all of our amazing supporters for facilitating this one-of-a-kind experience.
“At the Conference, I learned about how people get freed and exonerated. A lot of people said ‘welcome home’ to me, and I said the same thing to them. It was a great time.” – Bobby Bintz
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