Finding Innocence with Public Records

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 Innocence Project New Orleans will utilize the FY 2012 Wrongful Conviction grant to support its case review project "Finding Innocence With Public Records" in order to exonerate wrongfully convicted inmates. The grantee will obtain law enforcement and district attorney files on all cases under review to determine innocence and exonerate prisoners by hiring an attorney and investigator to sue, under the Louisiana Public Records Act, to force custodians of records to comply. Funds will support personnel costs, travel, and equipment. CA/NCF