Wrongful Conviction Review Program FY 2011

The purpose of the Wrongful Conviction Review Program is to provide high quality and efficient representation for potentially wrongfully convicted defendants in post-conviction claims of innocence. This program is funded under the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act,Pub. L. No. 112-10, div. B, secs. 1101-1104; Pub. L. No. 111-117, 123 Stat. 3034, 3134. Post-conviction innocence claims are likely to include complex challenges to the reliability or accuracy of evidence presented at trial which fall mainly into three categories: eyewitness identification evidence; confession evidence; and forensic evidence. The goals of this initiative are to: provide quality representation to those who may have been wrongfully convicted; alleviate burdens placed on the criminal justice system through costly and prolonged post-conviction litigation; and identify, whenever possible, the actual perpetrator of the crime.
The Innocence Project Northwest Clinic, through the University of Washington, will use the grant award to support the screening, evaluation, and litigation post-conviction claims of innocence in appellate courts. Funds will be used to hire investigators on a contract basis; increase expert review in select cases; increase the pool of pro bono attorneys through targeted outreach to law firms; and provide training to attorneys on issues that will assist in their post-conviction representation of clients. The grantee will be able to more expediently process applications and litigate cases as a result. CA/NCF