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A new Indiana chapter of the Innocence Project is ready to launch this month.
The not-for-profit group is a New York-based organization that works to exonerate people who have been wrongly convicted, primarily using DNA evidence and working for justice system reforms to prevent future wrongful convictions.
Fran Watson, member of the the Innocence Project’s board of directors, said the new chapter is affiliated with the Indiana University School of Criminal Justice and Maurer School of Law, with funding support from a Herbert Simon Family Foundation grant.
Watson said that by being affiliated with the university, the chapter will be able to build student learning opportunities.
The only other Indiana organization affiliated with the Innocence Project is Notre Dame’s Law School Exoneration Clinic. The Innocence Project includes a network of 71 affiliates around the world.
“We’re going to collaborate with the existing organizations where we we want to make the efforts all stronger by working together when that’s best or appropriate,” Watson said.
Watson added that a part of proving someone has been wrongfully convicted is collecting DNA evidence, but that is only one aspect to a case.
“It takes money to obtain the release of people, particularly when DNA is not going to answer all the questions,” Watson said.
The organization will be officially celebrating its launch Aug. 17 at the Dallara IndyCar Factory in Speedway from 1 to 4 p.m.
Watson said several exonerees will be there to give speeches.
She said they also plan on presenting awards. Watson noted that the organization would not exist without the support of the Herbert Simon Family Foundation.
Walking out free
Recent exoneration cases included one involving Leon Benson, who is now suing Indianapolis police officers after spending almost 25 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit.
His 61-year sentence ended after a California legal team talked with Alan Jones who was the lead detective on the case. Jones provided his case file to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, but Benson’s lawyers noticed there were discrepancies between the handwritten notes and interview transcripts.
Jones’ admission that he didn’t always provide all of his handwritten records was the key to Benson’s exoneration and he walked out of prison a free man.
In 2023, Notre Dame Law School grad Anna McGinn worked with Great North Innocence Project in freeing Thomas Rhodes after nearly 25 years in prison for the death of his wife.
Issues with testimony given in the case was key to Rhodes’ freedom.
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