The Reinvestigation Project of the Office of the Appellate Defender

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 FY12 BJA Wrongful Conviction Review Program, Pub. L. No. 112-55, 125 Stat. 552, 615. 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 Office of the Appellate Defender will utilize the FY 2012 Wrongful Conviction grant to support its Reinvestigation Project in representing and exonerating wrongfully convicted inmates. The grantee will screen 150 felony convictions annually, proceed to an intensive reinvestigation of 8-12 cases per year, litigate 4-6 wrongful conviction claims each year, and create a searchable case management database. Funds will pay for personnel costs, travel, and consultant fees. CA/NCF